SNGPL, SSGC Seek Higher Gas Prices: Rs1,712.40 and Rs2,071.75 per MMBtu Proposed

By Bilal Ahmed | 12 November 2026

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) have asked the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to raise their average prescribed gas prices for the current fiscal year, effective from 1 July 2026. SNGPL wants Rs10 more per MMBtu, taking its rate to Rs1,712.40, while SSGC seeks Rs366.75 more per MMBtu, to Rs2,071.75. Be clear: this is a petition, not a price hike. OGRA still has to hold hearings, and any change in what households pay needs a separate government decision and notification.

Key Facts

What the Two Companies Are Asking For

Both utilities went to the regulator with the same argument: the cost of supplying gas has risen, so the prescribed price should follow. SNGPL’s ask is small, just Rs10 per MMBtu to Rs1,712.40. SSGC’s is far larger, Rs366.75 per MMBtu to Rs2,071.75. Both cite rising international crude oil prices, which push up gas costs because imported gas prices are linked to oil. The petitions cover fiscal year 2026-27 and seek effect from 1 July 2026.

Prescribed Price Is Not Your Gas Bill

This is the part most people miss. The “prescribed price” is the average price OGRA allows a gas company to recover for each unit supplied, covering gas cost, transmission, distribution and allowed return. It is not the price on a household bill. What a family pays is the consumer tariff, set by the federal government after OGRA’s determination. The government can accept OGRA’s number, change it, or leave tariffs untouched. That is what happened in July 2026, when OGRA set new prescribed prices but consumer tariffs stayed unchanged.

Why LNG Costs Are at the Heart of This

LNG is a large part of SNGPL’s case. The company has included Rs60.147 billion of LNG service costs in its petition, estimated at Rs471.16 per MMBtu. Imported LNG costs far more than local gas, so every extra cargo pushes the average cost up. Winter makes it sharper: SNGPL says 16 LNG cargoes will be needed, while the Petroleum Division puts the requirement at 24 cargoes for SNGPL’s system, covering households and the power sector.

What Happened in July 2026

In July 2026, OGRA determined the prescribed prices for fiscal year 2026-27 at Rs1,718.96 per MMBtu for SNGPL and Rs1,691.24 for SSGC. The government then decided not to pass any increase on to consumers. One detail deserves care: Geo reports SNGPL’s existing price as Rs1,702 per MMBtu in its petition coverage, while the July OGRA determination put it at Rs1,718.96. Both figures are reported exactly as published, and this article does not try to reconcile them. The companies are asking OGRA to revisit the numbers only months after the July determination, because costs have moved again.

Gas Circular Debt Has Reached Rs3.631 Trillion

Behind the petitions sits a much bigger number. Gas-sector circular debt stood at Rs3.631 trillion by 30 June 2026, up Rs344 billion, per Petroleum Division figures to the National Assembly. That is the accumulated gap between what gas costs and what consumers pay.

Winter Gas Plan: Homes First, Industry May Face Cuts

The winter gas management plan for November 2026 to February 2027 takes effect now. Domestic consumers get priority for supply, while industry, captive power plants, fertiliser units and CNG stations could see supply curtailed if shortages turn severe. Since September, gas supply to homes has been restricted to morning, afternoon and evening cooking hours in many areas.

What Happens Next

OGRA will hold public hearings on both petitions before making any determination, with stakeholders, including consumer representatives, heard. Only after that will OGRA decide whether to accept the proposed rates, adjust them, or reject them. Even a favourable determination would not by itself raise household bills: the federal government would still have to decide on consumer tariffs and issue a notification. Until that happens, the petitions remain a request, not a price hike.

What This Means for Your Household

Nothing changes in your bill today. Watch for the OGRA hearings and any government notification, because those two steps decide whether bills change. The winter cooking-hours schedule remains in force, so plan heavy cooking around the morning, afternoon and evening supply windows. For the latest fuel rates, see our petrol and diesel price update for 12 November 2026 and our evergreen petrol price in Pakistan page. For winter supply timings, see our gas load shedding schedule for winter 2026-27.

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