The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) has sought a massive increase of Rs2.40 per KWh in the power tariff to Rs11.17 per KWh for the current fiscal year from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). A hearing on the tariff petition of IESCO was held by NEPRA on Tuesday. IESCO officials said that the company would be selling electricity worth Rs66.94 billion to its consumers during the current fiscal year. It sought increase in its distribution margin from Rs0.79 to Rs1.07 per KWh to profitably perform its operation. If the increase in the distribution margin is allowed the company would be earning Rs8.33 billion during the current fiscal year. The regulator reserved the decision on the petition and would be announced later on. During the hearing, IESCO officials claimed that they have installed 100 per cent smart meters in the twin cities but cross checking by NEPRA revealed that the claim was not correct. IESCO officials clarified that they have purchased smart meters for replacement but yet their installation was not complete and would take six months for completion. NEPRA members said that in future they would verify all the documents presented by the distribution companies (DISCOs) at the hearings before their tariff determination. An official source said, IESCO is the most efficient of the DISCOs and its tariff is used as a bench mark for notifying the electricity tariff for all the DISCOs. After the implementation on 18th amendment, the federal government could not notify any additional surcharge on the power tariff as it was now the provincial subject.
