Karachi will have to pay more electricity for the next nine months. K-Electric has upped the price of electricity to Rs1.62 per unit.

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority notified the increase and directed the KE to charge the new prices from consumers. The decision was taken because of the fluctutating fuel prices from June 2016 to June 2019.

The new price will be appropriated on the next nine months and after every four months dues of the remaining months will also be collected, says NEPRA.

By September 2020, a total of Rs21 billion will be collected through consumers.

The notification by NEPRA mentioned that during the last three years KE’s electricity prices increased from six paisa to Rs1.62 per unit. During the same period prices decreased from four paisa to Rs1.22 per unit as well.

“This way, in the last 36 months, electricity prices have increased 21 times and decreased 15 times,” the notification added.

NEPRA has also ordered other power distribution companies to charge an additional Rs1.56 per unit for electricity. The increase was appropriated as electricity was sold to consumers at a lesser price in October.