Pakistan's power regulator has proposed making high-rise buildings requiring transformers above 500 kVA liable for grid-sharing charges and allowing industrial consumers to obtain multiple connections up to a combined 15 megawatts. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has sought public comments on proposed amendments to its Consumer Service Manual (CSM) that will also revise charges for industrial and steel-furnace consumers, tighten rules for temporary disconnections and potentially extend detection bills for electricity theft cases to 12 months.

Under the proposed changes, any building requiring a dedicated transformer above 500 kVA will have to pay grid-sharing charges. The existing rules exclude buildings with ground plus three storeys from the multi-storey/high-rise category and therefore from grid-sharing charges. INDUSTRIAL CONSUMERS Nepra has proposed allowing distribution companies to provide up to three industrial connections or load extensions at the same premises, subject to technical feasibility and available capacity at the existing grid station.

The combined load will be capped at 15MW, provided the connections fall under the same tariff category. Consumers exceeding 5MW will bear 100 per cent of grid-sharing and transmission-line charges, proposed at Rs8.948 million per MW, as well as 100 per cent of land costs estimated at Rs0.855 million per MW, proportionate to the load. For loads above 15MW, a dedicated grid station and associated transmission line will be required.

If a consumer later receives such a dedicated connection after initially paying grid-sharing, transmission-line and land charges, those amounts will be refunded under the proposal. The proposed arrangement will also be extended to commercial and bulk-supply connections. NEW RULES FOR STEEL FURNACES Nepra has proposed separate connection requirements for steel furnaces.

For loads up to 1 MW, consumers would require dedicated transformers, an 11 kV distribution feeder and rehabilitation charges. For loads above 1 MW and up to 2.5 MW, dedicated transformers and either a dedicated 11 kV feeder or rehabilitation charges based on actual costs would apply. For loads above 2.5 MW and up to 5 MW, dedicated transformers and 11 kV feeders would be required.

DETECTION BILLS COULD COVER 12 MONTHS The regulator also proposes allowing distribution companies to issue detection bills for up to 12 months for registered consumers in cases involving bogus meters, manipulation or freezing of meter load profiles, software tampering, reversal of meter readings through Bluetooth devices and security breaches. The proposed bills will be calculated on a load basis rather than future or previous consumption. For domestic consumers, the detection period will remain limited to six months, while other tariff categories could face assessments covering up to 12 months, depending on the extent of theft and available evidence.

TEMPORARY DISCONNECTIONS Under the proposed rules, consumers will have to approach their distribution company for reconnection before the expiry of an approved temporary disconnection. If they fail to do so, the connection would be deemed reconnected after the temporary-disconnection period expires and applicable charges would become payable. Consumers could still seek multiple temporary disconnections, but will have to pay fixed and other applicable charges for at least one month before seeking another disconnection.

Additionally, Nepra has proposed removing the capped margin of Rs24.44 per unit for EVCS, allowing investors to set their own margins based on market forces. Currently, EVCS falls under the commercial category with a base rate of Rs45.5 per unit, which includes a Rs10 cross-subsidy. After taxes and adjustments, the effective tariff reaches approximately Rs71 per unit.

Nepra has also set a margin of Rs24.44 per unit, making the maximum tariff around Rs95 per unit. The regulator has invited stakeholders and the public to submit written comments within 30 days of publication of the September 25 notice. The proposals remain subject to Nepra's regulatory process and are not final rules.