ISLAMABAD: Electricity consumers are poised to receive a relief of Rs1.03 per unit under the fuel cost adjustment (FCA) for December 2024, pending approval by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!During a public hearing, the Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guarantee (CPPA-G) highlighted that seasonal adjustments had contributed to lower electricity prices. However, the prolonged shutdown of the 969MW Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Plant has deprived consumers of cheap electricity, impacting overall tariff reductions. Additionally, the non-operation of the 747MW Guddu power plant was questioned, but CPPA-G did not provide a clear explanation.
If NEPRA approves the adjustment, consumers may see the benefit in February electricity bills, though lifeline consumers, electric vehicle charging stations, and K-Electric customers will be excluded.
According to CPPA-G data, nuclear energy remained a major contributor to Pakistan’s power mix in December 2024, generating 2,065 GWh (26.48%), surpassing hydroelectric power (22.8%) and RLNG-based generation (20.7%). Nuclear energy also remained the leading source in January 2025, continuing its trend as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly energy option.
Earlier this month, NEPRA approved a tariff reduction of up to 75 paisa per unit for ex-WAPDA DISCOs and K-Electric consumers due to variations in fuel costs for previous months. The reduction applied to November 2024 for DISCOs and October 2024 for K-Electric, with reimbursements reflected in January 2025 bills.
Meanwhile, transmission and transformation (T&T) losses remain a concern. National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) reported provisional T&T losses of 244.158 GWh (2.946%) in November 2024, while the Matiari-Lahore HVDC line recorded 3.391% losses—both exceeding the allowed thresholds.
Story by Zafar Bhutta
