ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has directed power Distribution Companies (Discos) to file quarterly tariff adjustments requests for second quarter of FY 2022-23 under QTA mechanism.

In terms of second proviso to Section 31(7) of Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Act, 2021, the Authority may, on a quarterly basis and not later than a period of fifteen days, make quarterly adjustments in the approved tariff, on account of capacity aid transmission charges.

The impact of transmission and distribution losses, variable operation and maintenance and policy guidelines as the federal government may issue and intimate the tariff so adjusted to the federal government prior to its notification in the official gazette.

Given timelines, the Discos are required to file their quarterly adjustments immediately after the close of the quarter, so that the Authority can decide their requests within the prescribed time. However, the regulator has not still received the quarterly adjustment request for the second quarter of FY 2022-23 from Discos which may result in serious financial and legal complications.

In view thereof, the Nepra has directed Discos to immediately file their quarterly adjustment requests for the second quarter of FY 2022-23 so that necessary adjustments on account of quarterly adjustments could be made without further delay.

On January 17, 2023, the Nepra allowed Discos to recover Rs 41.938 billion from their consumers for the first quarter of (July-September) 2022-23 under the QTA mechanism.

The impact on IESCO consumers will be Rs 1.97 per unit, LESCO Rs 2.76 per unit, GEPCO Rs 4.06 per unit, FESCO Rs 3.26 per unit, MEPCO Rs 4.80 per unit, PESCO Rs 1.25 per unit, HESCO Rs 1.77 per unit, QESCO Rs 4.09 per unit, SEPCO Rs 2.31 per unit, and TESCO Rs 3.62 per unit which will be recovered from the consumers in a period of two months i.e. February and March 2023.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023