ISLAMABAD - Power generation dropped 1 percent while cost rose 17 percent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis in May 2026 compared to the same month last year. This was disclosed by the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA-G) in a petition filed with NEPRA on behalf of Distribution Companies (Discos), requesting the regulator to allow Discos to recover Rs0.8173 per unit from consumers on account of monthly fuel charges adjustments for May 2026.
It was reported that total energy generated stood at 12,638 gigawatt-hours (GWh) against 12,755 GWh in May 2025, reflecting a 1 percent YoY decline. However, on a month-on-month basis, the generation cost decreased by 3.58 percent in May 2026 to Rs9.0857/unit from Rs9.4233/unit in April 2026, according to data shared by CPPA-G with NEPRA. Monthly generation increased by 33 percent from 9,499 GWh in April 2026 to 12,638 GWh in May, driven by seasonal demand rise amid higher temperatures.
Ex-WAPDA Discos have sought NEPRA's approval to increase electricity tariff by Re0.8173/unit, primarily due to a 17 percent rise in fuel cost and a 1 percent drop in generation on a YoY basis. The petition filed by CPPA-G stated that consumers were billed at a reference fuel cost of Rs8.4315/unit in May, but the actual cost turned out to be Rs9.2488/unit. CPPA-G requested the regulator to allow Discos to recover the difference from consumers as monthly fuel charges adjustments for May 2026.
According to the data submitted to NEPRA, total power generation in May reached 12,638 GWh at a cost of Rs114.827 billion, or Rs9.0857/unit. After accounting for transmission losses and prior adjustments, net electricity delivered to distributors cost Rs9.2488/unit for 12,335 GWh supplied. Total power generation in April 2026 was 9,498 GWh, which was 9.7 percent less than the same period last year, indicating a cyclical slowdown in economic activity.
Generation Mix Details
The generation mix was dominated by hydel generation at 33 percent, followed by coal at 25 percent, nuclear at 14.25 percent, RLNG at 11.81 percent, and gas at 8.31 percent. Expensive electricity from RFO-based plants amounted to 20 GWh at Rs42.1809/unit, while 32 GWh was imported from Iran at Rs31.9341/unit. RLNG-based generation contributed 1,493 GWh at Rs30.6457/unit in May. Hydel generation more than doubled in May, reaching 4,205 GWh from 2,079 GWh in April 2026.
Power generation from local coal-fired plants was 1,474 GWh in May 2026, accounting for 11.66 percent of total generation at a price of Rs11.1849/unit, compared to Rs10.9306/unit in April 2026. Generation from imported coal was 1,343 GWh at Rs17.6091/unit (14.14 percent), up from 1,054 GWh in April 2026. The cost of imported coal-based electricity increased to Rs17.9497/unit in May from Rs16.6062/unit in April 2026.
Electricity generation from gas-based plants was 1,050 GWh in May, up from 968 GWh in April, at Rs13.6315/unit compared to Rs13.8204/unit in the previous month. RLNG-based generation increased to 1,493 GWh (11.81 percent) at Rs30.6457/unit in May from 380 GWh (4 percent) in April 2026. Nuclear-based electricity contributed 1,801 GWh (14.25 percent) at Rs2.77015/unit, down from 2,097 GWh (22.07 percent) at Rs2.7554/unit in April 2026.
Power generation from bagasse was recorded at 63 GWh at Rs10.992/unit, compared to 64 GWh at Rs10.5032/unit in April 2026. Wind energy generation was 665 GWh against 409 GWh in April 2026, and solar generation was 119 GWh against 111 GWh in the previous month. NEPRA has scheduled a public hearing for June 30 to consider the proposed FCA adjustment. Separately, Lahore police unveiled a comprehensive Muharram security plan for 458 processions.
