Discos seek higher fuel cost adjustment for February

ISLAMABAD: After charging Rs1.63 per unit as positive fuel cost adjustment (FCA) this month, power companies have sought another Rs1.64 per unit for April bills as demand increased.

The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) demanded the higher fuel cost on account of power consumed in February, even though more than 75 per cent of power generation came from domestic and cheaper sources.

Electricity consumption was reported to be around 11.42pc higher than the same month of last year but about 15pc lower than January 2026.

Once approved, the power companies would charge an additional amount of about Rs12.2bn to consumers of all the power companies, including ex-Wapda Distribution Companies (Discos) and K-Electric, in the billing month of April.

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has called a public hearing on March 31 to examine the request for additional FCA charges for consumers.

The CPPA also filed the petition for a higher FCA for February consumption. The power companies have claimed an average fuel cost of Rs8.37 per unit for February compared to Rs8.23 per unit in the same month last year.

The CPPA reported that 7,427 billion units (gigawatt hours) were delivered to Discos in February, compared to 8,762 GWh delivered to Discos in January.

The power companies claimed that the average fuel cost amounted to Rs8.37 per unit in February against a pre-approved reference fuel cost of Rs6.74 per unit, therefore, the need for about Rs1.64 per unit additional FCA.

The CPPA said about 7,696 GWh of........

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