ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Tuesday approved a Rs.4.90-a-unit price hike in electricity, translating into an annual burden worth Rs 106 billion on the K-Electric's (KE) consumers.

The decision was based on the KE's quarterly applications.

The power regulatory authority also approved to fix the average per-unit price of electricity at Rs17.69.

The NEPRA's decision would be applicable after the federal government's approval.

On December 28, the authority had told the KE to collect a consumer tariff — over the next nine months — on account of variation in the fuel charges from July 2016 to June 2019.

However, it has directed Karachi's sole power supplier to collect the tariff from consumers of all categories, except those consuming less than 50 units a month.

Separately, the NEPRA on December 10 slapped a Rs50-million fine on the KE over the loss of 19 lives to electrocution in the metropolis "due to lack of earthing of LT/HT poles and leakage of current from the distribution facilities of KE".

The regulatory body had said the electricity provider failed to fulfil "its statutory obligation to maintain safety standards".