Faulty Meter Reading System ‘Pro-Rata’ Identified, FIA Holds Energy Ministry Responsible

Islamabad: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other investigative bodies have flagged the current flawed metering system ‘Pro-Rata’ for protected consumers, sending a research report to the Prime Minister’s office. In the investigative report forwarded, the Energy Ministry officials have been held accountable for the discrepancies.
It has been revealed that the ‘Pro-Rata’ system excludes or places protected category consumers in a higher billing bracket, as per fresh disclosures. According to sources, all investigative agencies, including the FIA, have completed their reports, with over 200 units of information sent to the Prime Minister’s office.
The report specifically implicates Energy Ministry officials, recommending action against them following the inquiry. Prior reports indicated relevant divisions (Power Division and others) had initiated assessments of the meter reading system, with a decision expected in a day or two.
Meanwhile, a senior official from the Energy Ministry confirmed, “We are rigorously assessing the ‘Pro-Rata’ system in response to consumer complaints regarding over-billing. We are evaluating whether the system introduced in March last year is beneficial or detrimental to consumers.” The official further stated, “If we find this system inadequate, we will certainly discontinue it.”
According to data provided by the official, the proportion of protected category consumers using up to 200 units of electricity was 69.38% in April 2023, which increased to 73.14% in the same month this year. Similarly, in May 2023, these consumers were at 68.84%, rising to 73.59% this May. However, in June, this figure dropped to 59.15%, compared to 60.42% last year.
What is the Pro-Rata System?
Under the Pro-Rata system, monthly bills are calculated based on the average consumption over a 30-day billing period ending on the 26th of each month. For instance, if a meter reader takes a reading a few days earlier, the units consumed between the 24th and 26th are averaged out.
“If on the 24th, the units were 180 and the bill states 210 units, it means the difference of 30 units is averaged over the last few days’ consumption, termed ‘Pro-Rata’,” explained an official.
An official from Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) noted that only about 1% (approximately 500,000) of domestic consumers were excluded from the protected category. They attributed fluctuations in protected consumer numbers to increased electricity usage due to intense heat last June, with April and May seeing a rise, while a slight decline was noted in June this year.
However, consumers continue to view this system as deceptive and perceive it as a means for both commercial and technical elements to exploit consumers indefinitely. Meter readers are accused of collecting blatantly incorrect data, leading to widespread exclusion of consumers from the protected category nationwide.