Consumers of the national grid can breathe a sigh of relief, as the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has announced a quarterly tariff relief of Rs1.8881 per unit. According to reports, this adjustment will provide consumers with a relief package totalling a whopping Rs55.87 billion.

 

Reports indicate that NEPRA made this decision based on requests from Ex-Wapda Distribution Companies (X-DISCOs). Details from a press release on Thursday revealed that the tariff adjustment will remain in place during the period spanning August 2025 to October 2025. 

 

As per reports, the approved uniform quarterly tariff adjustment will apply to consumers of both the national grid and K-Electric (KE). However, it is worth noting that prepaid and Lifeline customers are not eligible for the relief provided under this adjustment.

 

Under the current uniform tariff policy, a standard electricity rate is applied nationwide in accordance with rules set by NEPRA and the federal government. As such, power distribution companies (DISCOs) do not have the authority to independently alter the tariff rates.

 

Reports indicate that requests for changes in the tariff rate must be submitted by the DISCOs, after which they undergo public hearings and scrutiny before approval. The hearing for the request that led to the approval of the quarterly tariff adjustment was held earlier this week.

 

While DISCOs pushed for the financial relief unlocked by the quarterly tariff rate adjustment, it merits a mention that a recent report by the Auditor General of Pakistan implicated eight DISCOs in a staggering financial fraud case amounting to Rs244 billion. According to reports, the Discos overcharged users to hide the true magnitude of power theft, line losses and major operational inefficiencies.

 

The Auditor General’s report indicates that Electric Supply Companies of Islamabad (Iesco), Lahore (Lesco), Hyderabad (Hesco), Multan (Mepco), Peshawar (Pesco), Quetta (Qesco), Sukkur (Sepco), and Tribal Areas (Tesco) grossly overbilled consumers from 2023-24. As per the data, consumers were overbilled for a staggering 900 million units of power.

 

Details from the audit suggest that five discos overcharged consumers by a whopping Rs47.81 billion in a single month. Reports reveal that 278,649 consumers faced higher bills as a result of this action by these discos.