Power Division projects Rs2.56 per unit increase in Nov bills, says bigger hike averted due to load management

The Power Division has projected a Rs2.56 per unit rise in November electricity bills, linked to the fuel cost adjustment for September, Dawn reported. The ministry estimated the extra charge would generate about Rs33bn for the division. Officials pointed to heavier use of costly fuels for power generation as the main reason behind the adjustment.

According to the division, the rise could have reached Rs3.44 per unit higher without targeted load management, which was applied for around two to two and a half hours in September. Less reliance on furnace oil and diesel, along with imported liquefied natural gas supplied at domestic gas prices, trimmed the charge by a further 83 paisa per unit.

The statement also referred to the Middle East conflict, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Qatar's force majeure declaration as factors pushing up fuel prices and disrupting supply. Separately, industrial consumers are disputing the claimed benefit of the incremental package, and NEPRA held a public hearing last week on revising or suspending it, with the outcome still awaited.