NEPRA Defers Public Hearing Into DISCOs Petition For Rs 162 Bln Quarterly Adjustments

Faizan Hashmi Published June 03, 2020 | 05:02 PM

National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Wednesday deferred public hearing into X-WAPDA DISCOs petition for Rs 162 billion adjustments on account of variation in power purchase prices (PPP) for 2nd and 3rd quarters of the current fiscal year

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Jun, 2020 ) :National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Wednesday deferred public hearing into X-WAPDA DISCOs petition for Rs 162 billion adjustments on account of variation in power purchase prices (PPP) for 2nd and 3rd quarters of the current fiscal year.

The regulator was informed during video link hearing that the Federal cabinet has already decided that no increase would be made in power tariff by June 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. Chairman NEPRA Tauseef H. Farooqi said the regulator was informed through a letter written by Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) that power tariff could not be increased by June.

The DISCOs said that they had not received the cabinet decision about not increasing power tariff.

Member NEPRA Saifullah Chatta said the consumers should be overburden due to COVID-19 pandemic and benefits of reduction in fuel prices should be passed on them.

It is pertinent to mention here that X-WAPDA Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) had sought Rs.

162 billion adjustments on PPP for 2nd and 3rd quarters of the fiscal year 2019-20.

In a petition submitted to NEPRA, the DISCOs sought over Rs 73 billion under quarterly adjustment mechanism for 2nd quarter October to December 2019 and Rs 89 billion for 3rd quarter January to March 2020.

According to the petitions, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) sought over Rs 16 billion, Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) Rs 28 billion, Gujranwala Electric Supply Company (GEPCO) Rs 13 billion, Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) and Multan Electric Supply Company (MEPCO) Rs 23 billion each, Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) Rs 29 billion, Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) Rs 10 billion, Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) Rs 14 billion, Sukkur Electric Supply Company (SEPCO) Rs 4 billion and Tribal Electric Supply Company Rs 889 million adjustments for both the said quarters.