Want power tariffs to remain the same? Chalo chalo, Islamabad chalo!

KARACHI – The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) will be organising a public hearing in Islamabad on February 1 vis-a-vis Karachi Electric Supply Company’s (KESC) petitions seeking a hike in power tariffs, but neither the Karachi-based interveners nor citizens are likely to attend the hearing.
On January 18, sources told Pakistan Today, the KESC through a petition (No.CMF/NEPRA/071/529) had demanded NEPRA to sanction an increase of Rs 1.30 per kilowatt (kW) for October to December 2010 on account of fuel price and power purchase cost variation. Another petition (No CMF/NEPRA/071/530) the company had also demanded 87 paisa per kW for the month of December 2010 under monthly fuel surcharge adjustment due to variation in fuel and power purchase price.
Both petitions are scheduled to be heard on February 1, but the irony is that a matter pertaining to Karachi will not be heard in Karachi nor will its citizens have any say. “The quarters concerned have long been demanding that public interest hearing of NEPRA cases should be held in Karachi, so that a large number of citizens can participate without having to bear exorbitant travel expenditures,” sources said.
“Fixing the hearing in Islamabad effectively excludes citizens of Karachi from the process – the populace that will eventually have to bear the burden of the increased tariffs.” Chaudhry Mazhar Ali of the KESC Shareholders Association told Pakistan Today that a letter has been sent to NEPRA, requesting the authority to shift proceedings to Karachi.
It is worth remembering that NEPRA has recently approved a 58-paisa per unit cut in power tariff of eight power distribution companies under the fuel price variation adjustment formula. NEPRA had sent a summary to the Ministry of Water and Power for adjustment in tariffs of these companies, which had sought a 48-paisa cut in power tariff, while providing relief of Rs2.67 per unit to the respective consumers for the past five months.