The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has proposed amendments to the rules governing detection bills issued to consumers involved in electricity theft.
Under the proposed changes, power distribution companies (Discos) could charge detection bills for up to 12 months in certain cases involving commercial, industrial, tube well and other registered consumers. The bills would be calculated based on the consumer’s electricity load.
For domestic consumers, the maximum detection billing period would remain limited to six months.
The proposed rules would cover cases involving bogus or fake meters, frozen or altered meter load profiles, software manipulation of billing meters and changes to meter readings through devices such as Bluetooth equipment. Cases involving breaches of meter security and other forms of tampering would also fall under the proposed framework.
In such cases, detection bills would be calculated based on the consumer’s load rather than previous or future electricity consumption.
The proposed amendments will come into effect only after NEPRA approves changes to its Consumer Service Manual.
