Nepra 'ends relief programme' for electricity bill payments

ISLAMABAD: After amending the Consumer Service Manual, 2021, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has almost abolished a major relief measure for power consumers to pay their electricity bills in multiple instalments.

The consumers have lost another relief option to pay their electricity bills in multiple instalments following the new regulations approved by Nepra.

The power regulatory authority modified the set of regulations creating room for power users to clear their dues with ease.

The notification stated that the instalment of power bills would only be allowed once a year, whereas, the markup would not be imposed on the payment of the first instalment within the due date.

The consumers will have to pay a 14% markup on other instalments, whereas, the request for an extension in the due date shall be made before the due date, it further stated.

The power distribution companies (Discos) have been directed to generate computerised bills upon allowing instalments and extensions on the due date.

in August last year, the interim government deliberated on a proposal to allow power consumers to pay their dues in instalments as a measure to provide relief to the inflation-batter public.

The caretaker government had pondered over the proposal to allow consumers with bills of up to 400 units to pay off their electricity bills in instalments spanning over six months.

Additionally, the tougher policies for the power sector and soaring electricity rates were also a result of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) strict conditions for disbursing loans to Pakistan.