NEPRA QTA 2026: Rs23bn Request Revised to Rs33.778bn

The April–June 2026 Quarterly Tariff Adjustment (QTA) has moved well beyond the original Rs23 billion figure reported at the start of the case. DISCOs initially sought Rs23.031 billion, but the amount presented during NEPRA’s August 12 hearing was later revised to Rs33.778 billion. That is why reports about the same adjustment now show different numbers.

What did DISCOs originally ask for?

The first request covered the second quarter of calendar year 2026, from April through June, and sought recovery of Rs23.031 billion from consumers of the DISCOs and K-Electric under the QTA mechanism.

The filing was submitted through the Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guaranteed (CPPA-G) for the distribution companies. NEPRA scheduled a public hearing for August 12 to examine the request.

The original claim included Rs49.746 billion in capacity charges. Other adjustments reduced the net amount, including Rs13.517 billion linked to variable O&M, Use of System Charges, Market Operator Fee and the effect of transmission and distribution losses on monthly fuel adjustments.

Why did the figure rise to Rs33.778 billion?

This is the part many short news reports leave unclear.

By the August 12 hearing, the DISCOs were seeking a net Rs33.778 billion. The revised calculation included Rs46.380 billion in capacity charges, Rs4.974 billion in variable operation and maintenance costs and Rs3.080 billion connected with T&D-loss effects on monthly fuel cost adjustments.

There were also offsets. These included Rs13.517 billion under UoSC and Market Operator Fee and Rs21.175 billion associated with the Incremental Consumption Package. A further Rs14.231 billion was claimed for unrecovered costs relating to Special Power Producers and Captive Power Producers.

So, Rs23.031 billion is the initial request; Rs33.778 billion is the revised amount presented at the hearing. Neither figure should be described as the final amount approved by NEPRA.

What did NEPRA actually do at the hearing?

A public hearing is not the same thing as automatic approval.

NEPRA examines the figures submitted by the applicants, questions the underlying calculations and considers the positions raised by other stakeholders before issuing its determination. In this case, officials questioned the data behind the requested recovery. PPMC had earlier estimated the April–June impact at roughly Rs17–18 billion, or about Rs0.70 per unit, while the DISCO request was higher.

That difference matters. It shows why consumers should not treat the amount requested by a DISCO as the amount they will necessarily pay.

NEPRA’s published records also distinguish between a hearing, an Authority decision and the subsequent notification. Its 2026 tariff records show these stages separately for earlier quarterly adjustments.

Why are capacity charges at the centre of the case?

A major issue raised during the hearing was the cost of maintaining generation capacity while electricity sales are under pressure.

Reporting from the hearing linked lower grid consumption with rising capacity-related costs. Solarisation was also discussed, with NEPRA officials examining how changing demand patterns affect the utilisation and cost of the existing power system.

This does not mean every rupee of the proposed adjustment is simply a “solar charge.” The calculation contains several separate components, and NEPRA still has to assess the amounts claimed.

What could consumers see on their bills?

The headline figure reported after the hearing was around Rs1.34 per unit, based on the revised Rs33.778 billion request. But that should be treated as a proposed impact, not a confirmed final rate until NEPRA completes the regulatory process and the applicable notification is issued.

There is another reason not to judge the next bill from the QTA request alone: monthly fuel adjustments and other bill components can change independently.

For the actual amount posted to your account, use your issued electricity bill rather than assuming that the requested QTA will appear unchanged. You can check your current bill through Mera Bijli Bill.

The bottom line

The story has changed from “DISCOs want Rs23 billion” to a revised Rs33.778 billion request. NEPRA’s job is to test that claim, consider the evidence and decide what amount, if any, can be passed through to consumers.

Until that determination and notification are available, Rs23.031 billion is the initial request, Rs33.778 billion is the revised hearing-stage request, and neither should be presented as a final approved consumer charge.