Federal Government to Refund Overbilling Charges in This Month’s Electricity Bills
Islamabad:The federal government has decided to refund the additional charges from overbilling in this month’s electricity bills, according to media reports. Under the new directive, the tariff for extra units billed on a pro-rata basis will be reduced.
The government has instructed that a lower tariff be applied to the additional units billed under the pro-rata system. As per the decision, the tariff for extra units will be reduced, and consumers will pay 13 rupees per unit instead of 27 rupees for protected categories. Consumers will receive credit for the additional charges on their current bills, and any excess payments will be refunded.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has also removed penalties for delayed bill payments. Last month, consumers received bills based on additional units under the pro-rata system, leading to investigations by the NAB and FIA.
The investigations revealed that meter reading dates were missing from the bills, and Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) failed to provide a clear explanation for the issue.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended the payment deadline for electricity bills by 10 days to alleviate financial pressure on the public. Subsequently, the Power Division instructed all electricity distribution companies, including K-Electric, to apply this extension to the bills for July and August 2024.
