Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Power tariff will be raised at retail level further for the second time this year, officials said.

Chairman of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Syed Yusuf Hossain will announce the hike on Thursday afternoon at a press conference at his office in the capital, Dhaka.

The BERC is likely to increase the retail rate of power by an average 20 percent with effect from January 2012, a BERC official said, adding that consumers will have to pay the increased rate for usage starting from the new calendar year.

On February 8, the energy regulator increased the average retail electricity tariff by five percent to BDT 4.20 per unit from BDT 4.00 from February 1.

The BERC had raised bulk price of electricity for the third time this year by 31.16 per cent on November 24. The increase took effect in two phases: from December 1, and subsequently from February 1.

BBN/SSR/AD-22Dec11-11:04 am (BST)