NEPRA Probes Excessive Billing Cases

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) informed the National Assembly that it is pursuing legal action in 71 cases of excessive billing involving multiple power Distribution Companies (DISCOs).

Responding to a query by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker Sharmila Faruqui, NEPRA confirmed that fines could be imposed on these companies in line with applicable rules once the proceedings are finalized. NEPRA also highlighted that penalties have already been levied for other violations.

Between July and August 2023, DISCOs issued inflated bills to over 4.1 million consumers by extending billing periods beyond the standard 30 or 31 days. After conducting investigations, NEPRA directed revisions using a pro-rata mechanism, adjusting bills for periods exceeding the regular cycle.

In a similar effort, between April and June 2024, DISCOs applied the pro-rata adjustment for billing cycles shorter or longer than 30/31 days. This adjustment led to changes in billing categories for 1.19 million consumers.

NEPRA launched further investigations during this period and issued directives for bill corrections. “As a result, all bills were revised, and the affected consumers were provided with the appropriate relief,” NEPRA stated.