ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has proposed new grid-sharing charges for high-rise buildings and changes to electricity connection rules for industrial consumers.
Under the proposed amendments to the Consumer Service Manual, buildings requiring dedicated transformers with a capacity of more than 500 kVA would be liable to pay grid-sharing charges.
Under the existing rules, buildings comprising ground plus three storeys are not treated as multi-storey or high-rise buildings and are therefore exempt from grid-sharing charges. The proposed changes would revise this arrangement.
NEPRA has also proposed allowing distribution companies to provide multiple industrial, commercial or bulk supply connections at the same premises, with up to three feeders and a combined load of up to 15 megawatts, subject to technical feasibility and available capacity at the existing grid station.
The proposed amendments also include revisions to charges for industrial and steel furnace consumers, along with changes to rules governing temporary disconnections and reconnections.
In addition, distribution companies may be allowed to issue detection bills for up to 12 months in cases involving registered consumers using bogus meters, manipulating meter readings through software or Bluetooth devices, freezing load profiles or compromising billing meters. For domestic consumers, the proposed detection-bill period would remain limited to six months.
NEPRA has sought public comments on the proposed amendments, with stakeholders given 30 days to submit their views, until October 25.