Surge in electricity prices proposed

In a move likely to add strain to already beleaguered power consumers, Power Distribution Companies (Discos), excluding K-Electric, have put forth a proposal for an increase of Rs4.6617 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in electricity prices.

The surge is attributed to the fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for the month of November 2023.
Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), on the request of DISCOs, has submitted an application with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to increase the electricity price under FCA of November 2023.

The Nepra has called a public hearing on 27th December 2023 mainly to consider November’s FCA.

In a public hearing notice, the NEPRA has invited all the interested/affected parties to raise written/oral objections as permissible under the law at the public hearing.

The CPPA, in its application, has submitted that the total electricity generated with various fuels in the month of November was recorded a 7,547 GWh, at a price of Rs7.1704 per unit. The total cost of energy was Rs54,113 million.

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The power generation with a hydel source was 2,755 GWh (gigawatt per hour) constituting 36.50 per cent with zero cost of power generation while power production with coal-fired power plants was 1,473 GWh (local + imported coal: 987+ 486GWh) which was 13.08 per cent and the total power generated at Rs15,078 million (Rs15.2698/unit).

Similarly, the power generation from gas-based power plants was 695 GWh, 9.21 per cent of the total generation, totalling Rs14.6197 per unit and the generation from Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) was 798 GWh, which was 10.57 per cent of total generation, at Rs23.7171 per unit.

Likewise, power production from bagasse was recorded at 27 GWh, the price of which has been calculated at Rs5.9822 per unit. The electricity generated from wind was recorded at 148 GWh, 1.96 per cent of total generation and solar at 50 GWh, 0.66 per cent of the total generation in November 2023.

Moreover, electricity generation from nuclear sources was 1,572 GWh which came out at Rs1.2071 per unit, 20.83 per cent of the total generation, and electricity imported from Iran was 30 GWh amounted to Rs27.7281 per unit, 0.39 per cent of the total power generation in the said month.

It is also learnt from the data submitted by the CCPA-G with NEPRA that net electricity delivered to DISCOs in November 2023 was 7,288GWh (96.57pc) at a rate of Rs9.4448 per unit, the total price of which was Rs68,834 million.