The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday permitted the increase at Rs11.37 each unit to K-Electric or ex-Wapda distribution company (XWDISCOs) customers, which could result in a record increase in the power tariff for August.
The rise was announced as a result of the fuel cost adjustment for June (FCA) and will assist the government to collect the additional amount of Rs155 billion by August.
The power regulator, under the chairmanship of Tauseef H Farooqi, held public hearings regarding both the privatised company as well as state-owned distribution firms’ applications that were seeking another FCA that was Rs11.39 or Rs9.91 per unit, respectively, for June.
After a thorough review of the information provided by petitioners, Nepra approved K-Electric to charge Rs11.37 per unit, and XWDISCOs to take Rs9.89 for each unit of consumers of power in August.
It is worth noting that during the May month, too, Nepra had increased the power price to Rs7.90 per unit on XWDiscos as a result of the monthly FCA.
This week, the power regulator had permitted the increase by Rs7.91 per unit on the base tariff average across the country , in three stages that will begin in July 2022. Furthermore, the government also given approval to Rs1.55 per unit of increase in the base tariff in an adjustment for quarterly.
A petition was filed to the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) on behalf of XWDISCOs pointed out that, for the June month the fuel costs quoted by the consumer had been Rs5.9344 per unit. However, the actual cost of fuel is Rs15.8439 for each unit. The petition asked Nepra to pay the increased amount by Rs9.9095 per unit on to customers.
In the information shared with the regulator, CPPA-G stated that 13876.14 GWH of electricity was produced in June at a cost in the range of Rs204.237 billion (or Rs14.7186 per unit) in addition to 13471.05 gigawatts had been sold into Discos with a cost of Rs213.434 billion (or Rs15.8439 per unit). The loss in June was estimated as 2.92 percent.
The CPPA-G reported that the hydel production has decreased by 3361.21 GWh (24.22 percent) in June, down from 3590.92 GWh (24.5 percent) in May.
The agency also stated the following: 1454.04 GWh (10.48 percent) of the electricity cost was produced from furnace oil in June. This was more than 1290.33GWh (8.80 percent) generated from RFO during May.
The RFO-based electricity for June was priced at Rs36.2024 per unit, which was more expensive than the May cost which was Rs33.67 for each unit. There was no power generated by high-speed diesel throughout the month.
The natural gas-based generation added 1479.32 GWh (10.66 percent) of energy to the national grid in June, at Rs8.9264 for each unit.
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The price of re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) powered electricity raised by Rs28.3833 for each unit during June, up from Rs27.92 per unit the month prior. The electricity generated by RLNG contributed 3390.54 GWh (24.43 percent) to the grid of the nation.
The coal-based power plants fell from 1883.13 GWh (13.57 per cent) in June, down from 2018.19GWh (13.77per per) in May.
Coal was the more affordable source of power production contrasted with RLNG and RFO since they cost Rs20.8077 in a unit. In May, the unit cost for electricity generated by coal stood at Rs18.01 in units.
The output of nuclear power plants was also reduced in 1265.67 GWh (9.12 percent) in June, down from 1890.38GWh (12.90 percent) during May. The cost per unit in nuclear power is Rs1.1244 in the unit.
The month of June saw Pakistan purchased 51.49GWh in electricity from Iran at an expense in the range of Rs19.57 an kWh.
Bagasse was the main source of 83.01 GWH of electricity produced for Rs5.9822 for each unit. Solar, wind and mixed sources added 811.59GWh, 86.82 GWh, and 9.87GWh respectively to the grid of the nation during June.
