By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has notified an increase of 52 paisas per unit in electricity prices under the quarterly adjustment mechanism, media reported.
According to the notification, the increase will put an additional burden of Rs12.67 billion on electricity consumers.
Consumers will have to make additional payments in September, October and November under the quarterly adjustment.
The increase will also apply to K-Electric consumers, NEPRA said.
However, the additional charge will not be applicable to lifeline consumers. The revised electricity tariff has been notified under the quarterly adjustment mechanism.
Earlier, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has barred K-Electric (KE) from carrying out load shedding on the basis of losses and ordered it to immediately stop unannounced power outages.
According to the NEPRA decision against K-Electric’s unannounced load shedding, the regulator declared load shedding based on ATC losses by KE illegal.
NEPRA said electricity supply to consumers who regularly pay their bills cannot be suspended on feeders with high losses. Consumers who pay their bills regularly cannot be punished for the failures of others, it added.
The regulator ordered K-Electric to adopt alternative measures against electricity theft and directed the company to disconnect the individual connections of people involved in power theft.
The decision stated that despite being fined, K-Electric had not made any changes to its operational procedures.
NEPRA further directed K-Electric to install ABC cables to reduce commercial and technical losses and prepare a plan for the purpose.
