ISLAMABAD – Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has silently imposed monthly fixed charges on the gas bill, starting from November 2023, in order cover its losses.
The imposition of the fixed charges would put an additional burden of approximately Rs60 to 70 billion on consumers, who already facing inflation. Reports said the company took the decision after consultation with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra).
As per the decision, protected consumers using 0.9 hectares of gas will pay a monthly fixed charge of Rs400. Non-protected consumers using 1.5 hectares of gas will pay an additional bill of Rs1,000 per month. Consumers using more than this limit will pay an additional fixed amount of Rs2,000 monthly.
Reports said even a consumer whose usage is zero will also pay Rs400 in wake of fixed charges. These monthly fixed charges have been added with the approval of the government and it will be applicable to eight million consumers.
The consumers can challenge the imposition of monthly fixed charges only in high court. SNGPL provides services in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Islamabad.
