Energy Minister Reveals Number of Consumers Who Were Overbilled, Rejecting NEPRA’s Report

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and the Ministry of Energy are at each other’s throats amid the issue of massive overbilling by distribution companies (DISCOs) in July and August bills. Talking to reporters in a brief interaction on Wednesday, Caretaker Energy Minister Muhammad Ali said, “NEPRA has its own point of view, and we, as the Ministry of Energy, have our own stance on overbilling”. While discussing the extent of the issue, the Energy Minister claimed NEPRA made a mistake while analyzing the consumer data, clarifying that 10 million users were not affected. However, he did suggest that somewhere in the region of 200,000 consumers did experience discrepancies due to overbilling. The minister said an independent committee has been formed to address the situation. He assured reporters that the committee’s report, expected next week, will provide a comprehensive analysis on overbilling, bringing all relevant details to light. “Everything will be revealed after the over-billing report,” he said. Addressing the underlying factors contributing to increased electricity prices, the minister blamed past contracts denominated in dollars. “In the past, due to contracts in dollars, electricity has become expensive,” he said, adding that there was a need for a comprehensive understanding of these past contracts to address and rectify the unit pricing mechanism. The minister added that the issue will be thoroughly investigated and corrective measures will be implemented.