Number of Faulty Meters in LESCO Surpasses 100,000, Causing Billing Challenges

Islamabad – The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) is facing a historic surge in faulty and burned electricity meters, with the total number exceeding 105,000, according to official documents.

The report indicates that 102,000 single-phase meters have malfunctioned, while 2,400 three-phase meters are either not working properly or completely burned out. Despite this significant number of faulty meters, LESCO’s available stock is nearly depleted, making timely replacements impossible.

Under NEPRA regulations, LESCO is required to replace all defective meters. However, due to the shortage, customers are being issued average bills instead of receiving new meters. Once a “defective code” is applied to a customer account, the average billing process continues.

Earlier, the installation of traditional electricity meters had been halted following directives from the Ministry of Energy (Power Division). This restriction, combined with slow procurement of single-phase smart meters, has further delayed the meter replacement process, exacerbating challenges for consumers.