ISLAMABAD - The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Wednesday allowed tariff increase of Re0.1 per unit for ex-WAPDA distribution companies on account of fuel price adjustment for May.

This decision in this regard was made by NEPRA in a public hearing on the petition filed by the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) on behalf of the distribution companies (DISCOs).

In its application the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) said that as in May the cost of fuel was high while the power consumers were charged with low rates so this additional amount would be charged in the electricity bills of July 2019. It would cumulative impact of Rs1.2 billion.

The adjustment will, however, not be applicable to lifeline consumers as well as K-Electric consumers.

The CPPA had sought the permission for increasing of 0.2150/unit from power consumers. It told the regulator that it has charged reference fuel price of Rs5.0457/unit from consumers in May, while the cost was Rs5.2697/unit.

The CCPA revealed that a total of 12,603.59 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity was generated in May at total cost of Rs63.783 billion. Net electricity delivered to power distribution companies was 12,219.37 GWh, whereas transmission losses came in at 358.1 GWH or Rs0.1498/unit.

It is worth mentioning that during the month under review, highest 29.73 percent (or 3747.21GWh) electricity was generated from hydel sources, followed by re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) based power of 3,624.86 GWh (or 28.76pc) at a cost of Rs9.5628/unit.

Around 2056.55 GWh (or 16.32pc) of electricity was generated from natural gas at a cost of Rs6.0091/unit. Share of coal-fired power generation contributed 1628.88 GWh, accounting for 12.92pcpc of total generation at a cost of Rs6.0399/unit. Nuclear electricity share was 4.31 pc (or 543.61GWh) at a cost of Rs1.0794/unit.

From wind, 413.31 GWh (or 3.28pc) electricity was generated. The CPPA purchased 397.92 GWh of electricity from residual fuel oil (RFO)-based power plants at a cost of Rs13.294/unit. RFO-based electricity share was 3.16pc. However, in May no electricity was generated from high speed diesel.

In May, 52.43GWh of electricity was imported from Iran for Rs11.5709/unit.

From solar sources, 69.08 GWh power was generated which is 0.55pc. From bagasse, 54.47GWh was generated at a cost of Rs6.1704/unit.