According to the most recent survey, growing power costs are becoming unaffordable for the majority of people and are negatively affecting their use patterns.
As a result of this worrying trend, distribution companies’ (DISCOs’) recoveries are sharply declining, which might make it impossible for them to pay for the power they acquire from generation companies, maintain their distribution networks, and pay off their debts. These elements make it much more difficult for DISCOs to make improvements to the infrastructure, offer high-quality services, and increase the general reliability of the energy supply.
The Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad did a study titled “Impact of Rising Electricity Prices on Consumer Behaviour: The Case of Power Distribution Companies in Pakistan” that included these conclusions. In the top ten cities of Pakistan, the research study included more than 1,000 families and 140 store owners.
According to the poll results, the majority of respondents had seen a moderate to considerable increase in their electricity bills recently. The study also shows a relationship between the size of the bill rise and the degree of consumption decrease, showing that larger price increases result in greater efforts to cut back on power use.
Nevertheless, a sizable portion of the poll respondents claimed that their costs had not decreased noticeably despite the general decline in electricity consumption.
The study highlights practical solutions for resolving issues with electricity affordability and offers DISCOs tactics for reducing the effects of price increases. It suggests the need for better governance and regulatory measures in the energy sector, as well as reasonable electricity pricing and various payment alternatives to account for a range of economic situations.
The study also highlights how crucial it is to solve problems like load shedding and educate consumers about peak hours, when electricity prices are highest.The interbank rate of the Pakistani rupee fluctuated throughout the afternoon, dropping as low as 287 before rising up above 285 at one point. Open market prices, however, continued to be very high in the 305-315 range across most currency counters.
