All Electricity Companies Overbilled Consumers: NEPRA

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has identified over-billing by all power distribution companies (DISCOs), including K-Electric, for April and June.

Following the confirmation of over-billing, NEPRA has asked these companies to explain the discrepancies. As per a notification, the authority will instruct all distribution companies to correct consumer bills based on the actual units consumed.

The notification specified that the companies had overcharged consumers in April and June by billing for more units than were consumed, violating NEPRA’s regulations. The companies are required to adjust consumer bills to reflect the accurate consumption.

NEPRA has also instructed the companies to refrain from imposing late payment surcharges on consumers who missed payment deadlines. Furthermore, companies must adjust the bills of those who have already paid these surcharges.

The notification further instructed the companies to replace all defective meters to prevent future overbilling. They must submit a compliance report to NEPRA within 30 days.

In June, over 300,000 power consumers were removed from the protected category and received inflated electricity bills due to a new billing system introduced by DISCOs under the Ministry of Energy’s orders. The protected category usually provides benefits like subsidized rates or immunity from price increases.