KARACHI: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Wednesday approved a reduction of Rs1.15 per unit in the basic electricity tariff across Pakistan. The decision follows a request by the federal government to lower the base tariff and is aimed at providing some relief to electricity consumers.
NEPRA issued an official notification from Islamabad confirming the decrease and has forwarded the decision to the federal government for formal notification. The revised tariff will come into effect once the government officially announces it.
This move comes after NEPRA recently approved a Rs2.99 per unit tariff reduction for K-Electric (KE), the power utility serving Karachi. The reduction, applied under the monthly fuel adjustment for March, is expected to be reflected in June electricity bills. The tariff cut offers some respite to KE consumers amid soaring power costs and prolonged load-shedding issues in Karachi.
The city has been struggling with intensified unannounced power outages during peak summer heat, leading to widespread protests from residents and elected representatives alike.
In a recent interview, K-Electric CEO Moonis Alvi acknowledged the high electricity prices but attributed them to government policies, distancing the utility from direct responsibility.
The NEPRA-approved cuts aim to ease the burden on consumers as Pakistan faces ongoing challenges in the energy sector, including rising fuel costs and supply constraints.
