LAHORE: The National Electronic Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has taken decisive action against overbilling in the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) region. In a move to address the issue of overbilling, NEPRA has called for comprehensive data on overbilling from all divisions within the LESCO region, with a deadline set until February 27.
The regulatory authority intends to initiate action against Executive Engineers based on the findings of the report. Additionally, field officers found to be involved in the overbilling practices will face removal from their positions.
The initiative comes in response to revelations made by the power division in December of the previous year, acknowledging instances of overbilling, manipulation of consumer slabs, and damage to meters.
The initial investigation report by NEPRA has exposed alarming findings, indicating that over 4.5 million consumers received bills that exceeded the standard 31-day billing cycle. Moreover, a significant number of damaged meters, totaling 381,510, contributed to the issuance of excessive bills.
The report sheds light on specific instances, such as in July, when 846,468 consumers were adversely affected as their billing slabs were altered. Nearly 200,000 consumers previously categorized as protected were moved to the non-protected category.
The situation worsened in August, with over 5.574 million consumers receiving bills that exceeded the standard 31-day cycle. During this period, 825,562 power consumers were affected by alterations in billing slabs.
However, it is noteworthy that the Power division has criticized the NEPRA team’s approach, denouncing it as ineffective and flawed. The Power division pointed out loopholes in quality control and data processing within the NEPRA investigation report.
This criticism underscores the need for a thorough and precise assessment of the situation to ensure fair and accurate actions against overbilling practices in the LESCO region. The regulatory measures aim to bring transparency and accountability to the billing process, assuring consumers of a fair and accurate representation of their electricity consumption.
