The cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) permitted K-Electric, Karachi’s only power distribution company, to levy a surcharge of Rs1.52 per unit from its consumers over the next year.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad reached this decision during an ECC meeting. During this meeting, the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) summarized K-Electric’s quarterly tariff adjustments. The ministry informed the ECC that, in accordance with the National Electricity Policy 2021, the government might maintain a consistent consumer-end tariff for K-Electric and state-owned distribution firms. Consequently, K-Electric’s uniform variable charge requires adjustment to uphold uniform tariffs nationwide, per a finance ministry statement.
The ECC additionally approved allocating and using Rs76 billion from the available budget to settle outstanding debts.
The committee also examined another summary from the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) about implementing a revised circular debt management plan. It authorized the expenditure of Rs20.726 billion for government-owned power plants. The Power Division received authorization to utilize a full, one-time sum from the assignment account, bypassing the Rs4 billion per month cap for June 2023. This measure ensures no additional payment liabilities to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) from July to November 2023.
