Islamabad: National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has confirmed electricity overbilling by all power distributing companies (DISCOs) including K-Electric, in April and June and sought an explanation from the companies on the matter, ARY News reported.
According to the official notification, NEPRA has decided to issue directions to all distribution companies, to adjust the bills of consumers according to the actual units consumed.
The notification stated that the companies had charged consumers more than the actual units consumed in April and June, which is a violation of NEPRA’s rules. The companies will have to adjust the bills of consumers according to the actual units consumed.
NEPRA has also directed the companies not to charge late payment surcharges from consumers who could not pay their bills on time. The companies will have to adjust the bills of consumers who have paid their bills with late payment surcharges.
The notification further stated that the companies will have to replace all defective meters immediately to avoid overbilling. The companies will have to submit a compliance report to NEPRA within 30 days.
Electricity overbilling
Over 0.3 million power consumers moved out of the protected category and had to pay inflated electricity bills in the month of June due to a new billing system introduced by DISCOs on the orders of the Ministry of Energy.
Consumers in the protected category receive certain protections or benefits, such as subsidised rates or exemptions from price increases.
PM Shehbaz Sharif
On July 6, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the FIA to initiate an inquiry against the officials and officers of the power distribution companies who are involved in charging excess units in the electricity bills of the consumers.
He said the ‘anti-public’ officers and officials, who are accessing electricity bills by adding extra units to the electricity bill, should be punished.
The prime minister said elements involved in charging excess units in the bills of protected consumers of below 200 unit per month should be exposed before the nation.
Interior Minster
Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi ordered FIA to collect data of all distribution companies (DISCOs) providing relief to protected consumers.
Mohsin Naqvi had expressed serious concern over inclusion of protected users in the non-protected category.
He directed all FIA directors to check the data of discos and submit report while giving the task to collect all the evidence in three days.
Read More: Overbilling: FIA to ‘probe’ assets of LESCO officers, staff
The minister ordered the directors of FIA across Pakistan to collect the records and a comprehensive report of all the evidence will be submitted to the Prime Minister.
Mohsin Naqvi also ordered to Additional DG FIA North Peshawar, Lahore to go to Gujranwala and Faisalabad to assess the situation and collect data.
FIA Investigation
Meanwhile, the Federal Investigation Agency summoned Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) chief and others for probe into overbilling.
As per details, LESCO Chief Shahid Haider, the director customer services, director IT LESCO, and officials of the energy ministry were summoned for probe into exorbitant billing.
The FIA officials have to submit the probe report into electricity overbilling to the prime minister within 24 hours.
