Govt extends bill payment deadline by 10 days

• Power Division orders all DISCOs to extend deadline.
• One-month extension to benefit consumers for July bills.
• Nepra says all DISCOs involved in excess billing practices.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed an extension in the deadline for payment of electricity bills by 10 days with an aim to provide relief to the stressed public.

According to The News, the PM directed the Ministry of Energy to issue an extension after which the Power Division ordered all power distribution companies, including K-Electric, to implement the extension for the July and August 2024 bills.

The premier's directives came in light of the difficulties faced by power consumers who remain under the pressure of paying inflated electricity bills, the Power Division said in a statement.

The extension is effective for one month and will benefit power consumers for their July bills only. For instance, if the original due date for the July bill was August 7, it has now been extended to August 17. The extension will also apply to the August bills, which will now be due on September 17. This creates a consistent one-month interval between due dates.

Meanwhile, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) reported that it has compiled its report on overbilling issues for the period from April to June 2024. 

The report indicated that all distribution companies, including K-Electric, were found to be involved in excess billing practices. Nepra has sought explanations from these companies with regards to the issue.

Nepra, based on the report, has decided to issue directives to the distribution companies, including K-Electric. The authority has instructed that customers who were charged based on readings lower than the actual units recorded from April to June 2024 should be adjusted accordingly.

Customers who were billed based on incorrect readings and have not yet paid should not be charged late payment surcharges (LPS). Those who have already paid with LPS will also be adjusted, Nepra stated.

To prevent average billing issues, Nepra mandated the immediate replacement of faulty meters. 

Additionally, all distribution companies, including K-Electric, are required to adhere to the consumer services manual (CSM) for meter readings. A compliance report on these directives is to be submitted within 30 days.

Notably, last year in July and August 2023, Discos and KE exercised overbilling. The protected tariff status for some users was changed to non-protected due to billing errors in these two months.

Nepra had directed these companies to charge consumers based on actual readings instead of excessive or averaged bills, ensuring fair billing practices.