No point in tariff hike

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Power tariffs are already at an untenable rate. To further compound public misery, the K-Electric wants to up the margin and is reportedly aspiring for a renewed hike. It has submitted a requisition with the regulatory authority to raise per unit cost by Rs5.50 under the guise of fuel adjustment charges. This is squarely unacceptable, and is no more than a ploy to buoy its coffers at the expense of consumers. The utility company has for long been in the dock for not being up to mark, and penalising its valuable consumers with an inadequate infrastructure, poor transmission and abrupt and prolonged interruption in power supply.

The excuse to pass on the burden, under the premise of rise in cost of raw products on the international market, is becoming a toiling affair and devoid of rationality keeping in view the services provided at the end of the day. Moreover, the same logic is not applied when oil prices slump on the index. Last but not least, there are innumerable other charges and adjustments that have been inserted in the bill under various, and even un-prescribed heads, that keep on pinching the consumer for no fault of their own. This illogical and unfair computing of billing must come to an end. Tariffs are subject to the value of services, so what is the point in paying on flimsy pretexts only to keep the company afloat!

NEPRA, the national power regulator, should discard the K-Electric indent to raise tariff. Rather it should be reminded of its prime responsibility to come up with unhindered supply to Karachiites. All power supply companies in Pakistan are in need of reorienting their edifice and services, with the explicit aim to improve the output. A word on K-Electric’s monopoly is overdue. Why not other competitors come up in an attempt to broaden the choice and services, altogether? If cellular companies can proliferate, why not more power supply units? Similarly, the automated chip introduction of pre-paid electricity is nowhere to be seen despite attempts to introduce it. K-Electric should recast itself and come up with value-added services rather than fleecing under various ruses.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2021.

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