Pakistan hikes electricity tariff amid IMF bailout delay

ISLAMABAD – The federal government has imposed additional burden of Rs128 billion on electricity consumers in a bid to revive the IMF loan programme stalled since last year.

A surcharge of Rs76 billion will be collected from power consumers to meet a conditions of the IMF, while Rs52 billion will be charged in the wake of deferred payments.

The Ministry of power has approved a decision of the Nation Regulatory Power Authority (Nepra) to impose an additional surcharge of Rs3.39 per unit on power customers. The additional amount will be collected on bills from March to June. Currently, electricity consumers are paying a surcharge of 43 paisas per unit.

The surcharge will also be applicable to the K-Electric customers, said the notification issued by the ministry.

Meanwhile, the Nepra has issued a notification to Rs14.24 per unit from consumers in eight months in wake of the deferred payments. The consumers of K-Electric will bear the burden of Rs9.90 per unit.

Those consuming up to 200 units of electricity will be charged from 89 paisas Rs2, while those utilising up to 300 units will be charged 89 paisas to Rs2.75 per unit.

Separately, Nepra has increased the cost of electricity for the consumers of Karachi by Rs71 paisas per unit under fuel adjustment charges for January. The additional charges will be collected in the bills for March. For the rest of the country, electricity rate has been hiked by 48 paisas per unit in wake of the fuel adjustment for January.