The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has moved the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) for making an increase in electricity tariff, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Sunday. 

The CPPA made a request for a Rs.4.33 per unit raise in power price under November fuel adjustment. Last month, electricity tariff was up by Rs4.74 per unit.

The regulatory authority will take up the plea on December 29. The consumers are likely to be burdened with more than Rs40 billion if Nepra lets CPPA increase the tariff. 

According to CPPA, water generated 33.21 percent of electricity in November, coal 16.26%, furnace oil 1.71% while 12.89% power was produced from local gas and 14.25% from imported LNG while nuclear fuel generated 17.51% of electricity in November.

 A couple of day ago, the government approved to further reduce subsidies in a bid to meet the conditions of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. It will immediately increase electricity prices by up to 95 paisa per unit.

The Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet approved the plan to withdraw the subsidies and okayed Rs5.8 billion payment to Nishat Chunian Power Plant under the agreement negotiated with the independent power producers (IPPs). The reduction in subsidy would effectively increase electricity prices by 53 paisa per unit for residential consumer.

The effective tariff for consumers utilising up to 100 units will increase by 8 paisa per unit, for consumers of 200 units, prices will go up by 18 paisa, for users of 300 units, they will increase by 48 paisa, according to the Ministry of Energy documents. For consumers using 301-700 units, the effective tariff will increase by 95 paisa per unit, they revealed.

The new approved effective rate for up to 100 units consumers will be Rs9.5 per unit, for 200 units consumers, the rate will be Rs10.36 per unit, for 300 units consumers, it will be Rs12.62 per unit, for 400 units, the new rate will be Rs15.73 and for 500 units, it will be Rs17.19. For users of 600 units, the rate would be Rs18.11 and consumers of up to 700 units will pay Rs18.75 per unit.