Nepra to take up CPPA’s power tariff hike plea on November 30

ISLAMABAD: The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), in a plea to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), has requested an increase of Rs4.75 in the power tariff.

The request for the increase has been made for the month of October, keeping in view the fuel adjustment prices.the regulatory authority will hear the request on November 30.

The CPPA said a total of 11.29 billion units of electricity was generated in October and 10.98 billion units were sold to the power distribution companies.

Earlier in October, Nepra had approved Rs1.595/kWh (unit) tariff for the delivery of electricity at Annex-I of the Shishi hydropower project of Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation.

The authority approved the price of Rs1.595/kWh against the requested tariff of Rs4.723/kWh by Pedo, along with the approved cost of Rs245.905 million EPC, non-EFC cost of Rs23.401 million, including the land acquisition cost of Rs6.779 million and the owner administration of Rs16.622 million.

The 1,875MW project is located at Darosh, Chitral executed by the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization, funded through an annual development programme of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Power Department, with the total project cost of Rs330.720 million.

The main objective of the project is to install three hydroelectric turbo generating sets of 625KW to meet the electricity demand of the lower Chitral area. The electricity generated is being provided to the public of Darosh Town, as well as other surrounding villages.

The project was originally approved by the Provincial Development Working Party in April 1996. The implementation of the project was scheduled through the provincial annual development plan the same year.

However, due to financial constraints, sufficient allocation/releases could not be made during the period 1996/2000. Consequently, not only the project was delayed but it resulted in enhanced project cost due to abnormal escalation of market prices and the rupee depreciation.

Now, the authority has revised and approved the PC-I of the project.

On February 14, 2002, the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization had signed an agreement, effective from December 20, 2001, with the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) for the purchase of power from Reshun hydel power station of 33kV Judilasht Chitral substation.

The billing rate agreed was Rs1.40/kWh on a taking and pay basis. As per the agreement, the rate for energy and terms of the agreement would be reviewed after every five years mutually by both parties.

The authority directed the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization to submit all the documentary evidence of one-time adjustment application, including contracts, invoices and payment evidence to Nepra for assessment and adjustment of cost in case the actual cost based on the verified invoices and documents works out to be lower than the approved numbers.