Electricity Bills Shock as Billing Formula Changed for Solar, Ordinary Consumers

Electricity consumers across Pakistan are facing a sharp rise in power bills following a major change in tariff structure approved by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), triggering widespread public concern.

Electricity consumers across Pakistan are facing a sharp rise in power bills following a major change in tariff structure approved by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), triggering widespread public concern.

Previously, fixed charges were imposed only on domestic consumers using more than 300 electricity units per month, ranging between Rs. 200 and Rs. 1,000. However, under the new framework, fixed charges will apply to all domestic consumers except lifeline users, even if their electricity consumption remains low.

According to details, fixed charges across different consumer slabs have been revised upward, ranging from Rs. 200 per kilowatt to as high as Rs. 675 per kilowatt per month.

The change means even low-consumption households will now face higher electricity bills. For example, a consumer with a sanctioned load of 5 kilowatts could see fixed charges increase from a previous maximum of Rs. 1,000 to nearly Rs. 3,375 per month.

Consumers are now realizing that electricity costs will no longer depend primarily on usage and put additional financial pressure on households already struggling with rising living expenses.