Pakistani homes and businesses may pay more for electricity in the new year as the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has initiated a process review a fresh proposal to jack up the country’s power purchase price from fiscal 2025-26.
The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) proposed a national power purchase price in the Rs. 25.69-26.69 per unit band during the public hearing on Tuesday. This yardstick serves as a key driver for consumer tariffs throughout Pakistan.
Nepra Chairman Wasim Mukhtar chaired the hearing, during which CPPA’s representatives stated that increased fuel prices as well as projections of higher demand of electricity and exchange rate assumptions were the key factors behind increase.
But Member Nepra Rafiq Ahmed Sheikh slammed the submission as “incomplete” and said the data provided seemed incorrect. Nepra said it will take input from the industry and finalize the tariff.
Business chiefs raised alarm bells, saying a second year of expensive power will further damage industrial competitiveness. FPCCI member Rehan Javed said the real numbers cannot be hidden and they indicate that “electricity will not get cheaper” in 2026. KCCI’s Bari urged the regulator not to overestimate the exchange rate, as even small changes have a significant impact on power generation costs.
Nepra is scheduled to finalise the national power purchase price later this year.
