NEPRA to offer refund on electricity bills, Check eligibility here

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is considering a refund of Rs. 0.7057 per unit on electricity bills for November 2024, following an overpayment in September.

This refund proposal, submitted by the Ex-Wapda distribution companies (XWDISCOs) for the billing month of November, is now awaiting approval from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).

The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has filed a petition with NEPRA to finalize the fuel price adjustment (FCA) for September.

A public hearing is scheduled for October 30 to determine if the proposed adjustment is justified and if power dispatch followed the economic merit order (EMO).

Eligible Consumers:

The proposed refund of Rs. 0.7057 per unit will be extended to various consumer categories, with certain exceptions. Specifically, the following groups will not be eligible for the refund:

Those classified as lifeline users, households consuming up to 300 units of electricity, electric vehicle charging stations, pre-paid electricity users, and agricultural consumers will not receive the refund.

All other consumer categories will benefit from this refund, provided that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) approves the fuel price adjustment for September.

This marks the third consecutive month of FCA reductions, following 18 months of consistent increases. Previously, in July’s FCA decision, NEPRA directed distribution companies to refund Rs. 0.369 per unit in the September bills.

From January 2023 to June 2024, the FCA remained positive, resulting in extra charges for consumers, peaking at Rs. 7.05 per unit in January 2024.

According to the CPPA’s petition, September’s reference fuel charges were Rs. 9.8006 per unit, while actual costs were Rs. 9.0949 per unit, resulting in a refund of Rs. 0.7057 per unit. This refund is estimated to total Rs. 4.5 billion.