Power utility K-Electric has demanded an additional Rs 3.02 per unit.
K-Electric demand for an additional quarterly tariff adjustment of Rs 3.02 per unit for Karachi is based on a price revision of Rs 2.57 per unit during April-June, followed by 87 paisa per unit per annum on operations and maintenance. Inflation has an effect.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority has approved the application for a public hearing on October 19 to assess whether KE’s application was valid or not.
This is significant as NEPRA and the federal government have already allowed K-Electric consumers to hike electricity rates by Rs 4.46 per unit for two months, October and November, to offset the government subsidy to the power company. Payments can be reduced.
This is on top of another Rs 3.28 per unit hike that was levied last month as part of a uniform national tariff hike for electricity consumers across the country for six months from October to March 2024.
So, Karachiites are actually paying an extra Rs 4.76 to Rs 7.73 per unit depending on their different slabs and categories in October and November, and then an average of Rs 3.28 in the following four months, from December to March.
In this backdrop, the regulator and the power division will have to arrange an additional adjustment of Rs 3.02 per unit to reduce the additional burden on consumers and the resulting political noise.
