Electricity consumers may get relief under NEPRA tariff adjustment

ISLAMABAD: Electricity consumers across Pakistan, including those served by K-Electric, may receive relief of about Rs63.94 billion under quarterly tariff adjustments, according to a petition filed with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).

Power distribution companies (DISCOs) have submitted a request to NEPRA seeking adjustments for the first quarter of calendar year 2026. The regulator is scheduled to hear the petition on May 19.

According to the petition, capacity charges fell by Rs36.837 billion during January–March, contributing to the proposed relief.

The DISCOs said that charges related to system usage and market operator fees declined by Rs11.24 billion, while a reduction of Rs23.51 billion was sought under incremental units.

A final decision on passing the relief on to consumers will be taken by NEPRA after the hearing.

Earlier, Power Division had requested the NEPRA to waive licensing requirements and associated fees for net-metered solar consumers installing systems of up to 25 kilowatts (kW), citing concerns that recent regulatory changes could discourage the adoption of small-scale renewable energy systems.

According to official correspondence, the Power Division highlighted that under the 2015 net-metering regulations, solar systems with capacities up to 25 kW were exempt from NEPRA licensing requirements. At the time, such applications were handled directly by distribution companies without any processing fee, allowing consumers to adopt solar energy more easily and with minimal administrative hurdles.

However, the Division noted that revised regulations have now brought these smaller installations under NEPRA’s approval framework, introducing both licensing oversight and new application fees. Officials argue that this shift has added procedural complexity and financial burden for residential and small commercial solar users.

In its letter to NEPRA, the Power Division warned that the current system could slow down the growth of renewable energy in the country. It emphasized that the simplified earlier process had been instrumental in encouraging wider adoption of rooftop solar solutions, particularly among middle-income households.