ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s hydropower generation saw a notable increase of 24% in May 2025, reaching 4,844 GWh compared to 3,906 GWh in the same month last year. This accounted for 37% of the country’s total electricity generation.
According to data submitted by the Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guaranteed (CPPA-G) to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) for the determination of Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA) for May 2025, total power generation stood at 12,367 GWh—reflecting a modest 0.8% rise from 12,267 GWh recorded in May 2024. The overall basket price of electricity during the month was Rs 7.4940 per unit, with total generation costs amounting to Rs 96.676 billion.
Electricity produced from local coal-fired plants amounted to 1,413 GWh—11.08% of total generation—at a cost of Rs 16.80 per unit. This marks a 3% increase from 1,372 GWh in May 2024. Imported coal generation surged 108%, rising to 796 GWh (6.24% share) from 383 GWh in the previous year, also at Rs 16.80 per unit.
Residual Fuel Oil (RFO)-based generation declined sharply by 68% to just 20 GWh from 62 GWh last year, with a high cost of Rs 28.5993 per unit.
Gas-fired plants generated 833 GWh (6.92% of the total) at Rs 12.8104 per unit—a 20% drop from 1,110 GWh in May 2024. In contrast, RLNG-based generation amounted to 2,168 GWh (17% share) at a significantly higher cost of Rs 23.7349 per unit.
Nuclear power contributed 2,012 GWh, making up 15.77% of the total, at a relatively low cost of Rs 2.2467 per unit. However, this marks a 15% decline from 2,360 GWh generated in May 2024. Electricity imported from Iran totaled 36 GWh at Rs 2.5155 per unit.
Bagasse-based generation recorded 34 GWh at a cost of Rs 5.9810 per unit. Wind and solar energy contributed 433 GWh (3.39%) and 116 GWh (0.91%), respectively.
The total gross electricity generated in May 2025 was 12,755 GWh—up 1.2% from 12,617 GWh in May 2024. The gross basket price stood at Rs 7.7739 per unit, and the total cost of generation reached Rs 99.153 billion.
The CPPA-G has requested a positive fuel charge adjustment of 10 paisa per unit for May 2025 to recover Rs 1.255 billion from consumers of Distribution Companies (Discos) under the monthly FCA mechanism.
However, after factoring in a previous negative adjustment of Rs 4.758 billion and an additional negative Rs 1.719 billion from electricity sales by Independent Power Producers (IPPs), the net electricity delivered to Discos was 12,367 GWh at a cost of Rs 7.4940 per unit—bringing the adjusted total to Rs 92.676 billion.
The CPPA-G has argued that since the reference fuel cost for May 2025 was Rs 7.3925 per unit and the actual cost came to Rs 7.4940 per unit, a positive adjustment of 10.15 paisa per unit is justified.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is scheduled to conduct a public hearing on the CPPA-G’s request on June 29, 2025.
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