ISLAMABAD: President has promulgated an ordinance that power tariff will be determined on monthly basis rather than quarterly basis by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), and would take effect forthwith.
The ordinance has been issued under the signature of acting president Farooq H Naik which has prompted the comments from the constitutional experts on the point under what law the ordinance has been promulgated by making Farooq H Naik acting president when the president Asif Ali Zardari was present in the country.
The ordinance issued by ministry of law and justice has been named Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution and transmission of electric power amended ordinance 2009. Through this ordinance amendment has been introduced in distribution and transmission of power act 1997.
In pursuance of amended 2009 NEPRA would determine overall tariff of electricity on quarterly basis instead of monthly basis and will forward its report to government in this connection.
The tariff will be sent back to NEPRA for reconsideration if government does not agree with it and NEPRA in turn will reconsider power tariff, rate charges and other rules and regulations within 15 days and send it to the federal government. Gazette notification will also be issued on this count.
A new clause has been incorporated in sub section 4 of amended ordinance 2009 under which NEPRA would reconsider the petition with reference to fuel charges on monthly basis and will decide about it within 7 days. Any change in fuel charges if made will be communicated to federal government.
Following the promulgation of this ordinance the new power tariff will stand applicable after every three months instead of monthly basis.