Your Electricity Bill Could Go Up Again Next Month

Electricity consumers across Pakistan may face a tariff increase of about Rs. 1.74 per unit in next month’s bills after the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) sought approval for more than Rs. 16 billion in additional fuel cost recoveries.

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) held a public hearing on CPPA’s request for a fuel cost adjustment of Rs. 1.73 per unit for electricity consumed in April 2026. If approved, the increase would translate into an additional burden of over Rs. 16 billion on consumers nationwide.

CPPA Chief Executive Officer Rehan Akhtar told the hearing that the reference fuel cost for April had been set at Rs. 8.25 per unit, but the actual cost reached Rs. 9.975 per unit.

He attributed the increase primarily to disruptions in LNG supplies caused by the US-Iran conflict, which forced the power sector to rely on more expensive energy sources.

Officials said technical constraints in transmitting cheaper electricity from Sindh to demand centers in other parts of the country also contributed to the higher fuel costs. The government limited the use of furnace oil and diesel generation to contain the impact on consumers, helping keep the proposed adjustment at Rs. 1.73 per unit.

The hearing was also told that the reduced availability of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (K-2), including outages and prior claims amounting to Rs. 3.4 billion, added to the increase. According to officials, special LNG import arrangements were made during the period to soften the impact of higher international energy costs.