Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Already burdened electricity consumers of all power distribution companies (DISCOs) including K-Electric will face another power tariff hike as the Power Division has issued a notification to further hike the power tariff by Rs 2.80 per unit.
Available copy of power division’s notification disclosed that a notification for the imposition of additional surcharge of Rs 2.80/unit has been issued by the power division under which electricity consumers including domestic, commercial, general service, bulk, agricultural tube-wells etc of all power distribution companies (DISCOs) including K-Electric will bear the hike in power tariff with effect from 1st July 2023 for an indefinite period.
As per the power division’s notification, this increase in power tariff will not be applicable to domestic consumers consuming 300 units per month from July 1 to October 31, while exemption to domestic and agricultural consumers also ends from November 1 and they will have to pay an additional surcharge of Rs 2.80/unit. However, only from July 1 to October 31, Rs 2.80 per unit will also not be applicable to the agricultural consumers.
According to sources, the power consumers are already bearing the brunt of Rs 0.43/unit surcharge while Rs 2.80/unit additional surcharge is imposed by the government to meet the condition of International Monetary Fund (IMF). They said that this increase in the rate of surcharge will burden the already burdened power consumers. They said with effect to the issuance of a notification pertain to imposition of Rs 2.80/unit additional surcharge, the total surcharge to be paid by the power consumers through monthly electricity bills will stand at Rs 3.43/unit. The additional surcharge have also been imposed on domestic, commercial, industrial, general services and bulk categories of electricity consumers for an indefinite period, said sources.
Earlier, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), in a recently issued notification, stated it has decided to allow application of enhanced surcharges through instant decision to be recovered from different categories of consumers of both DISCOs and K-Electric, from the FY2023-24 and onward w.e.f. July 1, 2023.
The fresh surcharge shall be shown as a separate head in the consumers’ bills, notification added.
