Pakistan moves to digitise detection billing and introduce monthly monitoring to reduce inflated electricity bills, human intervention and consumer complaints.
ISLAMABAD: The Power Division has decided to introduce fundamental reforms to the electricity detection billing system to protect consumers from unnecessary hardship, inflated bills and additional financial burdens.
The initiative is part of the broader power-sector reform programme being led by Federal Minister for Power Division Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, aimed at providing greater relief to electricity consumers and strengthening their rights.
Detection billing system to be digitised
Under the existing system, detection bills are issued when electricity meters malfunction, technical faults occur or consumption cannot be accurately recorded. In such cases, electricity consumption is estimated according to applicable rules and regulations.
However, the Power Division said estimated consumption has, in some cases, failed to reflect actual electricity usage, resulting in inflated bills and lengthy grievance redressal procedures for consumers.
The possibility of human intervention in the existing mechanism has also raised concerns about transparency and potential irregularities.
To address these issues, the Power Division has decided to digitise and automate the detection billing system, reducing human intervention and limiting unnecessary discretionary powers.
The division has directed all electricity distribution companies to make the necessary amendments to the NEPRA Consumer Service Manual and take other relevant measures to implement the reforms.
Monthly monitoring planned
Under the proposed system, detection billing and related recovery processes will be monitored on a monthly basis.
The monitoring mechanism is intended to help identify overbilling and abnormal consumption trends at an early stage, allowing distribution companies to take corrective action promptly.
The reforms are also expected to improve oversight of detection bills and make the billing process more transparent for electricity consumers.
Power minister stresses consumer protection
Federal Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said the primary objective of the ongoing power-sector reforms was to provide maximum convenience and relief to consumers.
He said reforms to the detection billing mechanism would help protect consumer rights, improve transparency in electricity billing and strengthen public confidence in the power sector.
The Power Division said the automation of detection billing forms part of wider efforts to improve governance, accountability and consumer services across the electricity distribution system.