After a hike in petroleum prices, an increase in electricity rates been proposed just ahead of the holy month of Ramazan.

The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has submitted a proposal seeking an increase of Rs1.78 per unit in electricity tariffs for January under the fuel adjustment mechanism.

The CPPA has filed a request with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), which is scheduled to hold a hearing on February 26.

According to the request, a total of 914 million units of electricity were generated in January, while 876.2 million units were supplied to distribution companies.

Officials said the average cost of electricity per unit during this period was Rs12.17, while the reference cost had been set at Rs10.39 per unit.

The CPPA has proposed passing the extra cost on to electricity consumers to cover the difference between the actual and reference electricity rates.

If NEPRA approves the request, household and business electricity bills are likely to rise, adding to the financial pressure on families already coping with rising prices.

The final decision will be made after NEPRA’s hearing on February 26, which will reveal exactly how much more consumers can expect to pay.