Electricity consumers will pay an extra Rs2.3673 per unit in their November bills after the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) approved a positive fuel charges adjustment for power used in September 2026. A notification issued on November 6 said the charge applies to customers of the ex-Wapda distribution companies (XWDISCOs) and K-Electric. The move follows the federal government’s policy of applying uniform fuel cost adjustments across these utilities.
The increase is driven by the gap between the fuel cost assumed when the tariff was set and the cost of generating and buying electricity during September. Nepra said the adjustment captures that difference rather than changing the base tariff itself.
Fuel cost gap behind the Rs2.36 increase
Nepra put the actual fuel charges component for September at Rs9.8268 per kilowatt-hour. The reference fuel cost already built into the tariff was Rs7.4596 per unit, and the difference produced the positive adjustment of Rs2.3673 per unit.
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The Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guarantee (CPPA-G) had first asked for a higher figure of Rs2.5624 per unit, based on an actual fuel cost of Rs10.0220. Nepra later lowered the amount to Rs2.3673 after reviewing the generation costs claimed and other adjustments.
Costlier sources pushed up September generation expenses
According to CPPA-G’s September energy purchase data, which Nepra published, the country produced around 13.22 billion units of electricity during the month. Hydropower supplied about 36.6 per cent of that total, while nuclear power provided around 14.3 per cent.
The system also depended on far pricier sources. Imported coal contributed about 16.3 per cent of output at roughly Rs17.23 per unit, while electricity from regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) cost around Rs39.74. Furnace oil generation came to about Rs44.86 per unit, and high-speed diesel was the most expensive major source at around Rs62.14. By contrast, nuclear generation cost about Rs2.90 per unit and local coal roughly Rs5.99.
Furnace oil and diesel made up only a small share of total generation, but their high fuel costs still inflated the overall bill. September also saw more use of imported coal and diesel than the reference generation plan had anticipated.
Exemptions, billing timing and display rules
Monthly adjustments are designed to pass changes in actual fuel costs on to consumers, instead of permanently folding them into the base tariff. Nepra said the XWDISCOs and K-Electric will recover the September amount through November bills, calculated on the units billed to consumers in September.
The charge will not be imposed on lifeline consumers, electric vehicle charging stations or prepaid electricity consumers who chose prepaid tariffs. It will, however, apply to electricity consumed under the Incremental Consumption Package for most other categories.
Nepra directed power companies to show the adjustment separately on electricity bills. If a November bill was issued before the notification took effect, the regulator said the amount could instead be recovered in the following billing month. The authority also instructed XWDISCOs and K-Electric to comply with relevant court orders while implementing the adjustment.
