PESHAWAR – WAPDA has demanded an unprecedented electricity tariff hike in Pakistan, seeking to increase hydropower rates by 5 rupees 45 paisa per unit. The request would raise the average base tariff from 6 rupees 11 paisa to nearly 11 rupees 55 paisa. Instead of fixing its inefficiency, WAPDA has chosen to shift the entire burden onto ordinary citizens.
The authority projects its revenues will climb from 191bn rupees in fiscal year 2023 to 365bn rupees (about 1.3bn US dollars) in 2026. This represents a 91 percent jump. WAPDA claims the increase will cover operational costs, depreciation charges, net hydel profit, and higher returns on capital. In reality, the demand highlights its mismanagement and failure to improve performance.
If NEPRA approves the petition, bulk hydropower tariffs will jump from 6.10 rupees to 11.55 rupees per unit. WAPDA has presented this as financial necessity, but its record tells another story. The Auditor General’s report on the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project exposed disastrous planning, poor implementation, and substandard engineering. WAPDA continues to collect billions through the Neelum-Jhelum surcharge on electricity bills without providing a credible account of how the funds were used.
The electricity tariff hike in Pakistan reflects not reform but WAPDA’s arrogance. It punishes consumers for years of corruption, weak governance, and failed projects. Households already crushed by soaring energy bills and inflation will now face further exploitation.
NEPRA’s upcoming hearing must not treat this demand as a routine tariff adjustment. Regulators must hold WAPDA accountable for its financial irregularities, its failed planning, and its reckless execution of major projects. Until WAPDA answers for its incompetence, any tariff hike will remain unjust and indefensible.
