Next month, consumers will see an increase of Rs4.92 per unit in their electricity bills for the power they consumed in February. This hike has been approved by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) as an additional fuel cost adjustment (FCA).
The Nepra announced this increase on Monday, affecting consumers of all ex-Wapda distribution companies (Discos). This approval will result in a total financial impact of approximately Rs45 billion.
Explaining the impact further, the regulator mentioned during a public hearing on March 28 that the net tariff increase due to the FCA would be about Rs7.51 per unit. This increase partially spills over to the upcoming quarterly tariff adjustment (QTA).
The adjustment will be applicable to all consumer categories except Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) and lifeline consumers, as stated in Nepra’s notification.
Previously, the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) had requested an additional FCA of Rs4.99 per unit for electricity consumed in February on behalf of Discos. They argued that while the reference fuel cost for January was Rs4.43 per unit, the actual fuel cost surged to Rs9.42 per unit.
This additional FCA represents a 113% increase from the pre-fixed fuel cost of Rs4.43 per unit charged to consumers in February. After adjustments, the regulator settled on a total per unit fuel cost of Rs9.35, allowing Rs4.92 per unit as additional FCA — 7 paise per unit lower than the Discos’ demand.
