For the electricity traiffs the limit is beyond the skys. What new comes in is differentiated power tariff to be implemented from September 1. The Tribune gives the details:

The federal government has introduced differentiated tariffs for electricity consumers, to be implemented on bills sent after September 1.

Based on time-of-use metering, the move would translate into a reduction from 4 paisa to 48 paisa per kilowatt hour (p/kWh) for different consumer categories.

According to a notification, the current tariffs will be maintained for peak hours while the reduction will be applicable on off-peak hours for residential, commercial, industrial and bulk users.

The reductions in off-peak tariffs are as follows: 48 paisa per kWh for residential, 24 paisa per kWh for commercial, 10 paisa per kWh for B1 and 24 paisa per kWh for B2 industrial consumers. For bulk consumers, the reduction is four paisa per kWh and 14 paisa per kWh for C-1B and C-1C categories respectively. For street lighting, the reduction is 29 paisa per kWh.

Will this reduction matter much for the consumers?

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) allowed on Tuesday a 26 paisa per unit increase in power tariff for consumers of nine distribution companies of Wapda from August 31 on account of monthly fuel cost adjustment.

A Nepra official told Dawn that power companies had sought an increase of 52 paisa per unit under the fuel adjustment formula for July.

But the power regulator allowed an increase 26 paisa and turned down the rest sought on account of system losses, late payments and overall circular debt.

The official said that Nepra had sent its determination to the federal government for notification. The new tariff will be recovered from consumers in the next billing month. The new tariff will not apply to KESC whose fuel-based tariff adjustment will be made separately.

With the latest increase, the tariff will see a cumulative surge of about Rs1.76 per unit in three months — May, June and July — raising the total per unit cost to about Rs4 per unit.

Last month, Nepra allowed a 64 paisa per unit increase and in June the government separately increased base tariff for all consumers, including KESC, by 7.6 per cent or 50 paisa per unit under an agreement with the IMF. Separately, Nepra increased 52 paisa per unit as monthly fuel cost adjustment for June.

Since March last year the government has increased tariff by about 80 per cent.

via DAWN.COM

Here’s a useful article about KESC,Via Nation

Over the years, I have written at least ten ST articles on the power crisis, which has gripped Karachi and the nation for the last 12 years. In the articles, I have narrated how a group of concerned citizens had filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 98 against PTC, KWSB and KESC, for failing to provide the services for which they were established.

Since then, I have continued to follow the twisted and crooked trail of KESC and have interacted with most of MDs, senior managers and engineers of the organization, including the late Shahid Hamid and Frank Scherschmidt and have yet to find a suitable or appropriate explanation for its failure.

In October last year, I had thought that I had finally reached the end of the trail, when the KESC had announced a massive increase in its tariffs. There was a huge hue and cry from all quarters of the country, including industrialists, commercial and domestic consumers.

Violent protests, burning of tires and attacks on KESC complaint centers were witnessed all over the country and emergency meetings were held at FPCCI, KCCI and SITE Association. Chest thumping, fiery speeches were made and ultimatums and threats of closing down industry were given by the business leaders, if the electricity tariffs were not reduced within three days.

A resolution was passed at a FPCCI meeting, which demanded: ‘The privatization of KESC should be examined and the terms and conditions should be made public – The, agreement should be cancelled and increase in the electricity rates of KESC should be kept in abeyance – All industries and business houses in Karachi should pay the electricity bills on the old rates’.

In another meeting at the SITE Ass. office, in which Sindh Industries Minister, Rauf Siddiqui, was also present and heard harsh speeches of business leaders on the damaging impact of the rise in electricity tariff on industry and that it would be the last straw that would break the industry’s back.
‘Unless the government takes immediate steps, factories would be forced to close down. This would result in thousands of workers loosing their jobs, create a law and order situation and the loss of valuable foreign exchange’.

Zubair Mottiwala, now Advisor to the CM, had read out a resolution: ‘Power bills of September, with enhanced tariff, should not be paid by consumers till a final decision is reached’. The resolution was endorsed by all the members, including the minister. I had also suggested that consumers should stop paying their bills and deposit payments in the courts, till KESC improves its services, which of course was vetoed.