The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has approved a Rs2.37 per unit hike in electricity tariff under the monthly fuel price adjustment for September. According to the power regulator's decision, the hike will be reflected in consumers' November bills and will also apply to K-Electric consumers.
The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) had requested a tariff increase of Rs2.56 per unit under the September fuel price adjustment. Separately, Nepra also approved an increase of Rs2.32 per unit in the concessional rate for additional electricity consumption by industrial and agricultural consumers and forwarded its decision to the federal government.
Under the revised rate, electricity supplied through the additional consumption package will cost Rs25.30 per unit, up from Rs22.98. The new rate will take effect from the November billing cycle.
The federal government currently provides relief ranging from Rs11 to Rs15 per unit to industrial and agricultural consumers on their additional electricity consumption. In their dissenting note, the members termed the proposed rate of Rs25.30 per unit baseless.
In October last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveiled the landmark "Roshan Economy Power Package", setting a discounted tariff of Rs22.98 per unit for industrial and agricultural users, applicable only to electricity consumed above last year's usage, to spur production, exports and jobs without shifting costs to households.
Effective November 2025 to October 2028, the three-year scheme kept base consumption on existing rates, with only incremental units priced at Rs22.98. The move effectively monetises surplus power at a level well below current tariffs (about Rs34 for industry and Rs38 for agriculture).
The relief plan offers progressive tariff discounts for higher electricity usage in both industrial and agricultural sectors. The regulatory body emphasised that these adjustments are part of regular monthly mechanisms designed to address fluctuations in global fuel prices and generation costs.
Consumer rights groups and industrial associations have expressed concern over the persistent upward revisions in energy tariffs, warning that continuous price hikes could severely impact manufacturing competitiveness and inflate the cost of living for common citizens across the country. On the other hand, officials maintain that passing on the rationalised fuel adjustments is critical for maintaining financial liquidity within the power sector and avoiding mounting circular debt, which has historically burdened the national exchequer.
The Ministry of Energy is currently reviewing broader structural reforms to decouple capacity payments and rationalise the overall energy mix, aiming to provide sustainable long-term relief to electricity consumers nationwide in the coming fiscal quarters.