Although tall claims are being made to slash the electricity price, the fact of the matter is otherwise as the government now wants to increase the tariff for Nandipur Power Plant, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.

And how much hike the government wants? The answer is up to 76 paisas per unit.

In this connection, an application has been filed with NEPRA (National Electric Power Regulatory Authority) with a request to increase the rate for the electricity generated by this particular plant which can be operated both on gas and furnace oil.

The government has argued in the application that the tariff should be increased by 76 paisas in the case of gas for the first 15 years and by 30 paisas for the next 15.

Similarly, it believes in increasing the existing tariff for the furnace-oil generated electricity by 49 paisas for the first 15 years and by six paisas from the sixteenth to the thirtieth year.

Meanwhile, the country’s top power regulator has said that the decision on the government request would be made after a hearing. 

Separately, the NEPRA on Tuesday had deferred the hearing of a petition filed by power distribution companies to increase the tariff under quarterly adjustment after the regulator wasn’t satisfied with their response.

The petition had called for raising the electricity price 86 paisas for the fourth quarter of the last financial year.

A total amount of Rs82.69 billion is to be collected from consumers in a year the proposal is accepted.

But earlier this month, the regulator notified an increase of Rs0.48 per unit I power tariff on account of the fuel cost adjustment for the month of August which would be applicable to all consumer categories except for lifeline consumers.