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The minister invited international partners to invest in the nationwide rollout of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), estimating a need of US$3 billion to serve over 30 million consumers. PHOTO: File
ISLAMABAD:
Electricity consumers in Pakistan may face an additional burden of 48 paisa per unit due to Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) for the month of December 2025.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Thursday held a public hearing on a request filed by the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA).
CPPA told NEPRA that national electricity consumption increased by 22 percent compared to the same period last year, mainly due to higher demand from industrial and agricultural sectors. According to the data, industries consumed 2 billion units of electricity in December 2024, rising to 2.4 billion units in December 2025.
Officials said around 44 percent industrial and 39 percent agricultural consumers benefited from the latest power packs, while overall power generation on a year-on-year basis increased by 2.4 percent.
NEPRA was informed that the peak load also showed a significant increase. In December 2024, peak demand was 13,792 megawatts, while in the same month of 2025 it reached 14,886 megawatts, according to the National Power Control Center (NPCC).
But NPCC officials said that despite higher demand, solar power is gradually reducing grid consumption, especially during daytime hours. They revealed that 9,000 to 10,000 megawatts of electricity is now being produced daily through net metering, affecting demand from the national grid.
During the hearing, industrial consumers strongly criticized the proposed increase. They argued that electricity prices are already too high and that further adjustments would harm competitiveness. “Instead of reducing electricity prices, a hidden increase is being imposed,” said a representative, adding that the industry cannot survive under the current tariff structure.
Power sector officials responded that while the FCA may increase, the quarterly adjustment is expected to decrease, which may provide some relief in the coming months. They also explained that hydel power production decreases in winter, which increases dependence on expensive fuels, but production improves in summer, which helps reduce FCA.
