ISLAMABAD: Electricity consumers may soon face an additional financial burden with a proposed power tariff increase of Rs2.63 per unit due to the Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA) for electricity consumed in June 2024. The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), representing distribution companies (DISCOs), has requested this hike in a formal application to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).
The application details that the reference fuel charges collected from consumers for June were Rs7.1403 per unit, while the actual cost per unit was Rs9.7710. In response, NEPRA has scheduled a public hearing to discuss the proposed increase on July 31, 2024.
According to the CPPA, 13,459 GWh of electricity was generated in June 2024 at an average cost of Rs8.8938 per unit, totaling Rs119,704 million. Hydropower accounted for 4,729 GWh (35.13%) of the total production and was cost-free. Coal-fired power plants contributed 2,126 GWh (1,489 GWh from local coal and 637 GWh from imported coal) with combined generation costs amounting to Rs26,321 million (Rs11.0295 per unit for local coal and Rs15.5349 per unit for imported coal).
Gas-based power plants produced 1,166 GWh (8.66%) at a cost of Rs13.9275 per unit, while Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) plants generated 2,437 GWh (18.10%) at a cost of Rs26.3286 per unit. Bagasse, a renewable source, contributed 60 GWh at Rs5.9822 per unit. Wind energy added 516 GWh (3.83%) and solar energy provided 118 GWh (0.87%).
Nuclear power, a significant component of the energy mix, generated 1,998 GWh (14.85%) at a low cost of Rs1.5255 per unit. Electricity imported from Iran amounted to 48 GWh (0.35%) at a high cost of Rs26.6597 per unit.
The data submitted to NEPRA shows that 13,071 GWh of electricity was delivered to DISCOs in June 2024, representing 97.11% of the total generated power, at an average rate of Rs9.7710 per unit. This resulted in a total cost of Rs127,712 million for the electricity supplied to the distribution companies.
