The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has increased the power tariff by 5.3 percent at retail and 8.4 percent at wholesale levels. The new tariff will come into effect on March 1, said BERC Chairman Md Abdul Jalil while announcing the decision at his office.
The retail power tariff has been increased from Tk 6.77 to Tk 7.13 per kilowatt-hour unit and Tk 4.77 to Tk 5.17 at wholesale level. In October last year, Bangladesh Power Development Board and six other companies proposed to revise electricity prices after gas price saw an increase. Gas is the primary fuel for electricity production in Bangladesh. BERC held a public hearing in December last year considering the proposal.
After the hearing, taking opinions of all consumers, consumer representatives, energy specialists and sector experts, BERC set February 27 to announce the new price. The bulk power price was Tk 2.5 per kilowatt-hour (or a unit) back on March 1, 2010. Since then, the price has increased by 90 percent and the current average electricity price is Tk4.77kWh.