Islamabad:
The federal government plans to introduce further supplements to electricity consumers by changing the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Act, a step that would allow it to unilaterally increase the electricity bills, sources said Wednesday.
According to official sources, the proposed amendment to the NEPRA law will allow the government to exceed the current 10% ceiling on electricity fees and pave the way for higher fees on consumer bills.
Sources said the government was preparing to remove the existing 10% limit for surcharges charged through power bills with the new legal framework that gave the broader authority to determine customs increases on case and for specified durations.
A proposal is also considered to charge consumers an additional RS3.23 per year. Unit as an additional fee. However, a final decision on the increase that has not yet been made has not yet been made.
Previously, supplements collected from electricity bills were primarily used to pay interest on the growing circular debt. The government is now aiming to eliminate the circular debt completely by borrowing RS1,275 billion from business banks.
