Another Relief in Electricity Bills Announced by Power Division

As electricity bills continue to weigh heavily on Pakistan’s citizens, the Power Division has announced a relief of up to Rs. 2.65 per unit in September’s electricity bills, thanks to fuel cost adjustments. According to the Power Division’s statement, electricity prices have decreased by Rs. 2.93 per unit due to these adjustments. However, an increase of Rs. 1.74 per unit under quarterly adjustments has also been applied. As a result, domestic and agricultural consumers using up to 300 units will get a relief of Rs. 2.19 per unit. In contrast, other consumers will benefit from a relief of Rs. 2.65 per unit, including taxes. This development follows mounting criticism over rising electricity tariffs, which have significantly burdened the public. In response, the government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is in talks with independent power producers (IPPs) to renegotiate contracts and bring down power prices, among the highest in the region. The rising electricity costs have not only caused public dissatisfaction but have also led to the closure of several industries. In July, the government announced a Rs. 50 billion relief package, ensuring that electricity tariffs for protected consumers using up to 200 units would not increase for three months, including September.