ISLAMABAD – The federal government is mulling over a “winter package” to increase electricity consumption by dropping the rates during the cold season.
Reports said a joint working group from the Power Division, Ministry of Finance, and other relevant departments is working to finalise the package under which electricity price would be reduced by up to Rs8 per unit for the period of three months.
However, the final approval for this package will be announced after getting approval from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as Pakistan is bound to meet the conditions laid forth by the global lender for the $7 billion loan deal.
Proposals to Cut Electricity Prices
The government is currently mulling over different proposals for the price reduction under the Winter Package. One proposal suggests including all electricity consumers in the package, with a potential price reducing by up to Rs8 per unit.
Another option is to provide relief solely to industrial consumers in order to increase consumption. If the package is limited to industrial users, the price would be decrease by up to Rs20 per unit.
Winter Package Duration Period
Currently, two options are under consideration regarding the duration of the Winter Package with one suggesting that it should run from December 2024 to February 2025, while another proposal suggests it could be provided to consumers from December 2024 to April 2025.
If the Winter Package is approved by IMF, the government will send it to (National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) for approval. Later, the plan will be approved by the federal cabinet.
