Staff Report
ISLAMABAD:
Electricity consumers will find relief in next month’s electricity bills as National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has decreased electricity price by 28 paisa per unit under the head monthly fuel price adjustment of the month of May 2021.
On Tuesday, NEPRA conducted a hearing on the fuel price adjustment of May 2021 and so far approved reduction in the electricity price on account of fuel price adjustment for the month of May 2021. However, a detailed decision in this very regard will be issued later by the authority (NEPRA) while the relief in the form of reduction in power price will not be applicable on power consumers of K-Electric and the lifeline consumers who use 300 units a month.
“It is estimated that power consumers will find Rs 3billion and 60 crore worth relief in next month’s electricity bills, “said sources in power sector.
During the course of hearing, NEPRA official informed that power plants with low capacity remained operational for power generation purposes instead of efficient power plants during the month of May 2021. They said that instead of 800 Million Cubic Feet per Day (MMCFD) only 600MMCFD gas was provided to power plants for power production during the said month. They said avoid passing on the burden of system’s faults and low capacity power plants to the innocent power consumers.
Annoyed over the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) for recurring system faults, Tauseef H. Farooqi, Chairman NEPRA said that perhaps NTDC was in deep slumber when the power plants were being installed. He further asked why NTDC had not paid due attention towards the power transmission system at the time the power plants were constructed. System faults could be removed with the cost registered on running the low capacity power plants, said NEPRA chairman.
“NEPRA was not consulted on the matter pertain to provision of fuel for power generation in the month of May 2021,”said the NEPRA chairman.
Tauseef H. Farooqi also said that the issue of closure of a private Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal for repair and maintenance activities was taken in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE). He assured that it would be NEPRA’s utmost efforts to pass on minimum burden of loadshedding on the power consumers of the country.
