The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has proposed changes to its Consumer Service Manual that could introduce grid-sharing charges for certain high-rise buildings and revise electricity connection arrangements for industrial consumers. The proposed amendments are aimed at updating existing rules governing electricity connections and applicable charges for different categories of consumers. NEPRA has invited public feedback on the proposed changes before any amendments are formally incorporated into the Consumer Service Manual.
Under the proposed amendments, owners of high-rise buildings that require dedicated transformers with a capacity exceeding 500 kilovolt-amperes (kVA) could be required to pay applicable grid-sharing charges for their electricity connections. The proposed requirement would apply to buildings where the electricity demand necessitates a dedicated transformer above the specified capacity. The introduction of the charges would establish an additional cost applicable to qualifying building owners under the revised electricity connection framework.
The proposed grid-sharing mechanism is part of changes being considered by the power regulator to address electricity infrastructure arrangements for consumers requiring dedicated equipment. High-rise buildings with substantial electricity requirements can require dedicated transformers and associated grid infrastructure to support their connections. Under the proposed rules, consumers falling within the specified category would be responsible for the applicable grid-sharing charges associated with their electricity connections.
NEPRA has also proposed changes that would provide greater flexibility to industrial consumers in obtaining electricity connections. Under the proposed amendments, industrial consumers could be permitted to obtain multiple electricity connections, provided that their combined load does not exceed 15 megawatts (MW). The change would revise the existing connection framework and allow eligible industrial users to structure their electricity connections across multiple connections within the proposed overall load limit.
The amendments also include revisions to the applicable charges for industrial and steel-furnace consumers. These proposed changes form part of the wider review of NEPRA’s Consumer Service Manual and are intended to update provisions relating to electricity connections and associated charges. The regulator has not yet made these changes final, as the proposals remain subject to the public consultation process.
NEPRA’s decision to seek public feedback means stakeholders, including building owners, industrial consumers and other affected parties, will have an opportunity to provide input on the proposed amendments. Feedback received during the consultation process can be considered before the regulator finalises any changes to the Consumer Service Manual. Until the process is completed and the amendments are formally approved, the proposed grid-sharing charges and revised connection provisions should not be treated as final requirements.
For high-rise buildings, the key proposed change concerns properties requiring dedicated transformers with capacity above 500 kVA. Owners of such buildings could face grid-sharing charges under the revised framework. For industrial consumers, the proposed rules would allow multiple electricity connections with a combined load of up to 15 MW, alongside changes to applicable charges for industrial and steel-furnace consumers.
The proposals come as NEPRA reviews the regulatory framework governing electricity connections for different consumer categories. The public consultation process will determine how stakeholders respond to the proposed grid-sharing charges, multiple-connection provisions and revised charges. Any final changes to the Consumer Service Manual would take effect only after completion of the regulatory process and formal approval by NEPRA.
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