In the bustling city of Karachi, electricity consumers found themselves grappling with mounting concerns due to a consistent surge in extra charges. The culprits behind these increased costs were the expensive furnace oil-powered power plants that had cast a significant burden upon the shoulders of Karachi Electric (KE) consumers, who had to bear an additional cost exceeding Rs19 billion in just the first six months of the year.
KE consumers paid over Rs19bn in six months
Documents revealed that within a span of three months, consumers of KE had to endure a hike of Rs13.14 per unit under fuel adjustment charges. The year 2023 commenced with a jolt as, in January, the electric supply company collected over Rs21.69 billion from its consumers under the category of fuel adjustment charges.
February brought no respite, as consumers were further burdened with an additional Rs16.49 per unit. By the time March arrived, this supplementary charge had climbed to Rs20.3 per unit. In this three-month period, a staggering total of over Rs19 billion was extracted from the pockets of Karachi residents.
Costly Furnace Oil-Powered Plants: Adding Billions to Karachi Residents’ Electricity Bills
The source of this surcharge agony lay in the operation of costly furnace oil-powered power plants. April saw Karachi’s residents bearing an extra cost of Rs4.94 billion, while May added another burden of Rs2.58 billion, and June tacked on an additional Rs400 million to the tally.
This consistent surge in extra charges began to raise alarm bells among electricity consumers in Karachi. As the financial strain mounted, residents found themselves seeking answers and solutions to alleviate the growing burden on their household budgets. The quest for affordable and sustainable electricity solutions became an urgent concern in the face of these escalating costs.
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