The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority expressed anguish over the request for an increase in electricity prices. It could not be satisfied over the statistics presented by the CPPA officials.

The authority was hearing a request of the distribution companies to increase the price of electricity by Rs2.07 per unit.

The NEPRA chairman remarked that the burden of incorrect statistics or technical issues could not be put on the masses.

The technical issues would be looked at separately. The authority will look at the statistics and then make a decision.

NEPRA said the decision will be announced later.

The addition will be applicable to government distribution companies as monthly fuel price adjustment. In case of approval, there will be an additional burden of Rs35 billion on electricity consumers.

The authority has taken notice of the violation of merit order of the power plants, and sought an explanation from the NPCC and NTDC. The authority asked what measures were taken to secure the system.

NEPRA said the price of coal has decreased in the international market.

The CPPA officials said the country still has expensive coal purchased previously. Due to system overloading, the power plants running on expensive furnace oil have to be operated, they added.

Only by running the expensive plants in July, an additional burden of Rs1.50 billion had to be endured.

The CPPA has requested for a reduction in the increase to Rs1.58. Electricity sales had increased in July as compared to the last year, CPPA official said.

After the revision of the reference cost, the price has come down as compared to last year, they added.

NEPRA had raised questions over tariff working of the CPPA on coal-fired power plants.

It ordered to remove the difference between the working of Nepra and the CPPA tariff. The price of coal has decreased, so why is the tariff high then? Nepra asked.

The NTDC attributed the tower collapse and power blackouts to climate change.

NTDC is facing various problems, the NTDC MD said, adding the letters of credit are not opening nor is new equipment coming in.

Despite all this, the transmission lines are being laid in different areas, he further said.

The highest number of incidents of tower collapse and theft are in Jamshoro, Sindh, he said, adding 90% of the incidents were prevented, and a force of local people was created in Sindh.