Nepra to initiate legal action against Discos over inflated and wrong billing

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has decided to initiate legal proceedings against distribution companies (Discos) that are charging excessive bills and detection bills to consumers by adopting illegal and unlawful practices.

Nepra Inquiry report in the matter of Excessive Billing by DISCOs July & August – 2023

Nepra, in detailed hearings found that snaps of “meter readings are either invisible or deliberately not taken. Similarly, some cases were reported that monthly meter readings are being taken beyond the billing cycle of 30 days, which resulted in undue/inflated charging of upper slab bills to the less user consumer(s) hence, changing the category from protected to un-protected”.

The authority also found out that numerous distribution companies were charging meter readings, whereby, snaps “readings differ from the readings recorded on the consumers’ bills”.

“Legal proceedings against all Distribution Companies including KEL under NEPRA Fine Regulations, 2021 for violation of the provisions of NEPRA Act, CSM and tariff terms & conditions etc,” a statement issued by the power regulator said.

Nepra inquiry showed that the billing cycles carried out by different DISCOs ranged from more than 30 days to 40 days and even more against the notified tariff terms and conditions in which the billing period means a billing month of 30 days or less.

Nepra stated that it is evident from the findings, the statement said, that due to the non-replacement of defective meters, thousands of consumers were charged on an average basis for more than (2) months — and even in large number of cases one (1) year to three (3) years and even above three (03) years.