ISLAMABAD - National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Tuesday approved reduction of Rs 2.19 per unit in electricity tariff for June 2015 and Rs 2.14 per unit for July 2015 under monthly fuel price adjustment.
The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has said that during the month of June 2015, 9,926 GWh energy was generated and the per unit cost was Rs4.6387. After adding line losses, the per unit cost remained Rs4.6309 leading to save Rs2.19 per unit against the reference fuel price of Rs6.8283 per unit.
According to data, in June 40 percent electricity was generated through hydel sources. Energy generated through RFO was 25 percent while gas contributed 27 percent to total energy mix.
According to Agency in July 2015, 10,627 GWh energy was generated. Hydel contributed to 42.62 percent, high speed diesel 1.18 percent, RFO furnace Oil 22.49 percent gas 27.58 percent, nuclear 4.03 percent, import from Iran 0.41 percent, while wind contributed 0.84 percent, Baggasse 0.34 and solar contributed 0.12 percent to energy mix.
The power agency had proposed that due to sufficient generation from hydel and fall in petroleum product prices, the per unit cost of electricity was Rs 2.13/kwh, less then reference fuel charges of Rs6.4933/kwh, so the prices could be reduced and the benefit could be passed on to the consumers. This reduction would be applicable to consumers using above 300 units per month, government has withdrawn subsidy substantially from consumers using up to 300 units as per agreement with the IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
The prime minister had already announced reduction in tariff for the month of June and July while addressing a meeting on last Friday in a live telecast.
According to sources after the announcement many officials were of the view that they should not hold a public hearing as the decision had already been announced by the prime minister and hearing would be a big joke.
But authority members and chairman, largely political appointees, did not wanted to offend anyone at Prime Minister’s House.
“People call us rubber stamps, but we are still on job due to prime minister,” a source quoted one of the authority members.
Chairman Nepra Tariq Sadozai and spokeswoman Ayesha Tasadduq did not comment.