ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (DNA): The electricity tariff is feared to go up
massively as the Power Division has sought Rs6.10 increase per unit in
connection with fuel adjustment charges for the month of January.

The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has sought the raise in
electricity price and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority
(NEPRA) will take up its request on February 28.

According to details shared by CPPA, electricity was produced from wind
energy at Rs2.22, hydel power at Rs5.83 per unit, diesel at Rs6.73 per
unit, LNG at Rs7.12 per unit, furnace oil at Rs14.07, local gas at
Rs14.37 per unit, nuclear power at Rs14.37, and coal at Rs33.15 per
unit.

The energy ministry of Pakistan has recently hiked electricity tariffs
by Rs1.95 per unit which it claimed is due to a hefty circular debt
thanks to previous governments.

“We could jack the electricity prices by Rs2.18 per unit but we did not
want to “burden the masses” so we only increased 23 per cent in tariff,
said the federal minister for energy Omar Ayub in a joint presser today
accompanied by federal planning minister Asad Umer and Prime Minister’s
aide on energy Tabish Gauhar.

Ayub said the incumbent government has inherited the circular debt
crisis for which it is binding on it to hike the tariffs and translate
the impact on the masses. Due to the heavy debts in the energy sector,
which he termed a minefield, we had no other option but to expedite
clearing off the payables, he said.

On the recent countrywide power breakdown, the minister said it happens
everywhere in the world, adding that everyone praised how soon we
recovered from it.

It is due to the destructive energy sector agreements made in Pakistan
Muslim League – Nawaz tenure that our energy production is 43 pc more
expensive than it should be, he claimed. DNA

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