The National Electric Power Authority (Nepra) has dropped a bombshell on Karachiites by increasing the electricity tariff by a massive 50-170 percent following the withdrawal of subsidies by the federal government.
The most unfortunate part of the development is that lifeline consumers who consume just 50 units a month have not been spared, as their tariff has also gone up by Rs2 per unit. The tariff has been increased by Rs5.60 per unit for those who fall in the slab of 201-300 units, by Rs3.29 per unit for those who consume 301-700 units and by Rs3.22 per unit for those who utilise more than 700 units a month.
The tariff for the commercial and industrial sectors has been increased by Re0.29 per unit. However, for the domestic sector, the regulator has done away with all slab benefits for the consumers except one slab advantage. The tariff has been reduced by Re0.69 per unit for those domestic consumers who fall under the slab of 1-100 units and Re0.79 per unit for those who fall under the slab of 101-200 units.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had vowed not to increase the power tariff for lifeline consumers who utilise just 50 units a month.
