ISLAMABAD - Power consumers of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) Ltd should get ready to bear an electric blow as the company has requested the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to approve a hike of Rs 1.16 per unit in the rate of electricity. The KESC has requested the NEPRA to approve a hike of Rs 1.16 per unit in the rate of electricity, sources transpired on Saturday. Sources well aware of the development informed TheNation that KESC has submitted its request to the authority seeking approval to give a surge to the skyrocketing prices of electricity under the head of fuel charges adjustment for the month of October. It has been pleaded in the plea that due to hike in the price of furnace oil, the cost of electricity has increased. Further, low gas supply has also increased cost of electricity of the company because of its larger dependency on furnace oil. It was also learnt that however, power consumers which utilize less than fifty units in a month would not bear this surge after the final nod of the NEPRA in this regard. After the decision, power consumers which use less than 50 units of electricity will enjoy impunity from this surge of Rs1.16 per unit in power price of the KESC, sources said, adding that decision from the NEPRA in this regard is expected within a weak to rub further salt on the injuries of already hard pressed power consumers of the KESC facing unscheduled loadshedding and inefficiency of the management as well. Sources further informed that hearing of this plea at the NEPRA was expected during last weak but on the basis of Lahore High Courts (LHC) decision to not give further fuel adjustments to the power distributing companies (DISCOs), the NEPRA is now in a fix and has started consultation process with its legal advisers pertaining giving further boost to the already high ceiling prices of electricity in the presence of stay order from LHC. It is likely that the NEPRA will wait till the final decision of LHC in this regard, sources opined.