Amendments to CSM proposed: Nepra acts to enable bulk consumers to procure power

ISLAMABAD: National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has proposed amendments to the Consumer Service Manual (CSM) to enable Bulk Power Consumers (BPCs) to procure electricity simultaneously from the Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) and one or more Competitive Suppliers (CS). The proposed amendments are aimed at giving practical effect to the amendments made to the NEPRA Consumer Eligibility Criteria (Electric Power Suppliers) Regulations, 2022, through SRO 635(I)/2026 issued on April 14, 2026, and facilitating the Competitive Trading Bilateral Contract Market (CTBCM) framework. According to the proposed framework, a BPC having a sanctioned load of not less than one megawatt would be permitted to contract fixed and defined percentages of its total energy and capacity requirements simultaneously with the SoLR and one or more competitive suppliers. READ MORE: Rules amended: Bulk consumers can procure power from multiple suppliers: NEPRA The aggregate of the percentage contracted with the SoLR and all competitive suppliers would have to remain equal to 100 percent of the BPC’s total energy and capacity requirements. NEPRA noted that the existing Consumer Service Manual, revised on November 26, 2025, does not contain specific provisions governing multiple supplier arrangements or procedures for switching between the SoLR and competitive suppliers in a competitive electricity market. The proposed amendments are therefore intended to provide the necessary operational framework for the regulatory provisions already notified by NEPRA. The proposed framework is particularly significant for industrial and other large electricity consumers as it would provide them with greater flexibility in choosing their electricity suppliers. A BPC could retain a defined portion of its requirements with the regulated SoLR while procuring the remaining portion from one or more competitive suppliers. The proposed amendments also seek to clarify operational matters relating to connections, metering, billing, settlement and switching between suppliers. Under the emerging market structure, the SoLR supply would remain subject to regulated and uniform terms, whereas the competitive supply component would be based on bilateral arrangements between consumers and competitive suppliers. Regulated charges, including use-of-system charges (UoSC), would continue to apply to the relevant transactions. NEPRA has urged all relevant stakeholders, including industry associations, consumers and other market participants, to undertake a detailed review of the proposed amendments and identify practical gaps before their finalisation. The Authority has particularly encouraged industry-to-industry consultations so that specific and workable recommendations can be submitted on issues that may arise during implementation of multiple supplier arrangements. Stakeholders have been given 30 days from publication of the public notice to submit their comments and feedback to NEPRA. The consultation is expected to be closely watched by industrial consumers and electricity market participants, as the proposed framework represents a further step towards expanding consumer choice and operationalising competition in Pakistan’s electricity market. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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