The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has reserved its decision on a request to increase electricity prices by Rs3.49 per unit, pending a review of data.

The hearing on the request, submitted by the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), took place under the chairmanship of NEPRA Chairman Wasim Mukhtar. The CPPA sought an increase in the fuel adjustment for April.

During the hearing, CPPA officials stated that the industry is not utilizing all the available gas, and electricity consumption remained low in April due to improved weather conditions.

NEPRA member for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa questioned the high consumption of LNG in April. CPPA officials explained that the LNG had been imported earlier and was therefore used to generate more electricity.

Officials from the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) revealed that April’s temperatures were 1.5 degrees lower compared to the previous year. They also pointed out that hydropower generation was lower in April due to maintenance, while solar, wind, and coal production remained at full capacity.

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NEPRA member for Balochistan inquired about the impact of solar power on daily demand. PNSC officials responded that solar power reduces demand by 400-500 megawatts during the day. However, lower solar production at night leads to increased electricity consumption during peak hours.

After the hearing, NEPRA reserved its decision on the electricity price hike request. The authority will issue a notification and decision after reviewing the data.

The April monthly fuel adjustment will be applied to June bills. If the request for a Rs3.49 price increase is fully approved, it will impose an estimated burden of Rs35 billion on electricity consumers. However, the monthly adjustment will not apply to lifeline and K-Electric consumers.

It is worth noting that the request to increase electricity prices by Rs3.49 per unit was filed with NEPRA on May 20th.