ISLAMABAD: Electricity consumers across Pakistan may face another increase in their power bills after utilities asked the regulator to allow an additional Rs1.78 per unit charge under the monthly fuel cost adjustment for January 2026.
If approved, the increase will be collected in March bills and will also apply to K-Electric consumers.
The request was filed with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) by the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA-G) on behalf of ex-Wapda distribution companies.
According to CPPA-G, consumers were billed at a reference fuel cost of Rs10.395 per unit in January, but the actual cost turned out to be Rs12.1768 per unit, creating a gap that utilities now want to recover from customers.
Data submitted to Nepra shows that total power generation in January 2006 stood at 9,140 gigawatt-hours (GWh) at a cost of Rs106.36 billion, translating into Rs11.64 per unit. After accounting for transmission losses, prior adjustments and other factors, net electricity supplied to Discos was 8,762 GWh, costing Rs106.69 billion, or Rs12.1768 per unit.
Power generation increased 12 percent compared to January 2025, mainly driven by expensive fuel sources. RLNG-based plants were the biggest contributor, generating 2,002 GWh (about 22 percent) at a high cost of Rs19.93 per unit. Nuclear energy produced 1,599 GWh at a much lower Rs2.24 per unit, while imported coal generated 1,580 GWh at Rs13.49 per unit. Local coal plants supplied 1,404 GWh at Rs11.62 per unit. Hydropower output dropped sharply by 18 percent, falling to 713 GWh from 866 GWh a year earlier. Another 274 GWh came from residual fuel oil, while renewable sources such as wind, bagasse and solar contributed only a small share.
Nepra has scheduled a public hearing on February 26 to decide whether consumers will have to bear the proposed increase.
