ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Wednesday approved the imposition of fixed charges on domestic consumers using up to 300 units per month.
The decision came after the hearing of NEPRA on the government’s request to impose fixed charges on domestic consumers up to 300 units, and changes in tariffs and fixed charges.
While approving the request of the Power Division, the power regulatory authority imposed fixed charges on domestic consumers consuming up to 300 units of electricity per month.
Under the new decision, domestic consumers using up to 100 units per month will be charged Rs200 as fixed monthly charges, while consumers using up to 200 units per month will pay Rs300.
Earlier, only non-protected consumers with more than 300 units were subject to these fixed charges, but now fixed charges have been imposed on both protected and non-protected consumers with 300 units.
Moreover, the Nepra said that the non-protected consumers using up to 100 units per month will pay Rs275 in fixed charges, while consumers using up to 200 units will pay Rs300, and those using up to 300 units per month will pay Rs350.
For non-protected consumers using up to 400 units per month, they will be charged Rs400, an increase from Rs200. Those using 401 and 500 units per month will pay an increased fixed charge from Rs400 to Rs500. Consumption of 600 units per month will pay Rs675, up to 100% increases in fixed charges.
However, those consuming 601-700 units will pay Rs675 after a reduction of Rs125, while consumers using more than 700 units will also be charged Rs675 following a reduction of Rs325.
Lifeline consumers exempted
Meanwhile, lifeline consumers, using up to 100 units, will remain exempt from the fixed charges. Nepra has also reduced electricity rates for industrial consumers by Rs 4.4 per unit.
The domestic consumers using 301–400 units will get a decrease of Rs 1.53 per unit to Rs 36.46. Moreover, for 401–500 units, Rs1.27 to Rs38.95, and for 501–600 units, a cut of Rs1.40 to Rs40.22 has been proposed.
Under the new proposal, consumers using 601–700 units will get a benefit from a Rs0.91 per unit cut to Rs41.85, and a Rs0.49 to Rs47.20 per unit cut has been proposed above 700 units.
Lower-usage unprotected consumers (1–300 units) and lifeline protected consumers would see tariffs largely unchanged, ranging from Rs3.95 to Rs33.10 per unit depending on usage.
