Category: Bill Guides

Solar panels are appearing on rooftops across Pakistan at a remarkable pace — and net metering is the policy that makes them pay off. Instead of just cutting your daytime usage, net metering lets you sell your surplus electricity back to the grid and get credit for it. Here is how it works, how to get it, and whether the maths works for you.

What net metering actually is

Under net metering, your DISCO installs a bidirectional (import/export) meter at your premises. During the day your solar system powers your home and the extra units flow out to the grid; at night you draw power back from the grid as usual. At billing time, the exported units are netted against the imported ones — you are billed only for the net units. If you export more than you import in a month, the credit typically carries forward.

How to apply through your DISCO

1. Apply to your distribution company (LESCO, IESCO, K-Electric or whichever serves you) with the net metering application form, your CNIC, latest paid bill and system details.
2. Technical feasibility check. The company inspects your premises and the local transformer to confirm the grid can take your exported power.
3. Install the solar system through a certified installer, following the company’s technical standards (approved inverter, proper earthing, safety disconnects).
4. Generation licence. Systems up to 25 kW are generally covered under simplified rules; larger systems need a NEPRA generation licence.
5. Bidirectional meter installation. The DISCO installs and seals the import/export meter, tests the system, and issues the net metering agreement.

The process commonly takes a few weeks to a few months depending on the company and the backlog. Use only installers familiar with your DISCO’s net metering requirements — paperwork mistakes are the biggest cause of delays.

What it costs

The main cost is the solar system itself: panels, inverter, mounting structure and wiring. A typical 5 kW domestic system and a 10 kW system for a larger house differ mainly in panel count and inverter size. On top of that, the DISCO charges for the bidirectional meter and the application processing. Prices for equipment fluctuate with the dollar rate, so get fresh quotes — but the overall trend over the last decade has been downward for panels.

The buyback maths: is it worth it?

The key question is the payback period: how long until the savings cover the system cost. Rough logic:

• A household with a high monthly bill (say 600–1,000+ units) saves the most, because solar wipes out the expensive upper-slab units first — the same slabs that make summer bills so painful.
• Exported units are typically credited at a lower rate than the retail tariff you pay for imports, so sizing the system to your own daytime consumption gives the best return.
• With current tariffs, well-sized domestic systems commonly pay for themselves in roughly 3 to 5 years, then generate essentially free daytime power for the rest of their 20+ year life.

Things to check before you commit

• Roof space and shading: panels need unshaded south-facing space; neighbouring buildings and trees matter.
• Sanctioned load: your connection’s sanctioned load may need enhancement for a bigger system.
• Maintenance: panels need occasional cleaning (dust cuts output noticeably in Pakistani cities) and the inverter may need replacement once in the system’s life.
• Net metering vs off-grid: net metering keeps you grid-connected, so you still have power at night and on cloudy days — no batteries needed. Pure off-grid systems need expensive battery banks and suit only areas without reliable grid supply.

The bottom line

If your bills are consistently high and you own your roof, net metering is one of the most financially sound home investments available in Pakistan today. Start by checking your current consumption pattern — look up your recent bills to see your average units — then size the system to match. And while the panels are being installed, squeeze every unit you can from efficiency first with our bill-reduction guide.

Pakistan has two separate natural gas distribution companies: SNGPL and SSGC. Your gas bill comes from one of them depending on where you live — and each has its own consumer numbers, bill format and online checker. Here is how to tell which one is yours and how to read its bill.

SNGPL: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited

SNGPL serves Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with its head office in Lahore. If you live in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar or anywhere else in these two provinces, your gas bill is almost certainly an SNGPL bill. It is the larger of the two companies by customer numbers.

SSGC: Sui Southern Gas Company

SSGC serves Sindh and Balochistan, headquartered in Karachi. Consumers in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Quetta and the rest of these provinces get SSGC bills. The name “Sui” in both comes from the Sui gas field in Balochistan, where Pakistan’s natural gas story began.

How to tell which company is yours

• Look at the bill header. The company name and logo are printed at the top of every gas bill.
• Check your region. Punjab or KPK means SNGPL; Sindh or Balochistan means SSGC.
• Consumer number format. Each company issues its own consumer/reference numbers, so a number from one company will not work on the other’s checker page — a common reason “bill not found” errors happen.

Reading your gas bill

Gas bills look different from electricity bills but the logic is similar. Key fields to find:

• Consumer number — the number you enter to check the bill online. Keep it safe.
• Meter number — identifies your physical meter; useful when reporting faults.
• Previous and current readings with their dates — gas is measured in cubic hectometres (HM³).
• Units consumed — current reading minus previous reading, adjusted by the pressure/temperature correction factor printed on the bill.
• Slab-wise charges — like electricity, gas uses slab rates; winter consumption pushes you into costlier slabs.
• Meter rent and fixed charges — small monthly charges that apply even with zero usage.

How to check each bill online

Checking is free and instant. SNGPL customers can check the SNGPL bill here using their consumer number, while SSGC customers should use our SSGC bill checker. Make sure you are on the right company’s page — entering an SNGPL number on the SSGC checker (or vice versa) will simply return nothing.

Paying your gas bill

Both companies’ bills can be paid through banks, ATMs, mobile banking apps and Easypaisa/JazzCash, using the consumer number as the reference. The same digital channels that work for electricity bills work here — see our online bill payment guide for step-by-step methods. Always pay before the due date; late payment surcharges apply to gas bills too.

Why gas bills spike in winter

Gas bills follow the opposite season to electricity: they explode in December to February when heaters and geysers run constantly. A household using 1–2 HM³ in summer can easily cross 4–5 HM³ in winter, landing in the expensive slabs. Practical fixes: service heaters before winter, insulate the geyser and hot-water pipes, use the heater only in occupied rooms, and consider a solar water heater if you own the house. Track monthly HM³ the way you would track electricity units — the bill tools on our homepage help you stay on top of both.

Complaints and wrong bills

If your gas bill shows a reading far above what your meter displays, or a bill arrives for a period when your supply was disconnected, lodge a complaint with the respective company — SNGPL and SSGC both run helplines and online complaint portals. Keep a photo of your meter reading with the date visible; it is your best evidence. Estimated bills are common when the meter reader cannot access the premises, and they are corrected on the next actual reading — but if the estimate looks absurd, complain rather than paying it silently and hoping.

Every year between May and September the same shock hits: the electricity bill doubles or triples. You are using the same fans, the same fridge, the same lights — so why does the bill explode? The answer is a combination of heavier cooling loads and a tariff structure that punishes high consumption. Let us break it down.

The air conditioner is the main culprit

An AC is by far the hungriest appliance in a Pakistani home. A 1.5-ton inverter AC typically draws about 1 to 1.5 units per hour once the room is cool, while an old non-inverter unit can swallow 2 units or more per hour. Run two ACs for 8–10 hours a day and you are adding 400–600 units to your monthly consumption — more than everything else in the house combined.

It is not only the AC. Fridges and deep freezers work harder in hot weather, running their compressors longer. Fans run round the clock. Water motors run more. Every appliance that fights the heat uses more electricity doing it.

Slab rates: why extra units cost more than the first ones

Pakistan’s domestic tariff is slab-based: the first units you consume are the cheapest, and each higher block of units costs more per unit. So doubling your units more than doubles your energy charges — the extra summer units fall into the most expensive slabs. This is the single biggest reason a bill that was Rs. 4,000 in March becomes Rs. 15,000 in July.

The unprotected consumer trap

Here is where it really hurts. If you consumed 200 units or fewer for six consecutive months, you are a protected consumer with much cheaper slab rates. One heavy summer month over 200 units breaks that streak — and losing protected status raises the rate on all your units, not just the extra ones. Many households discover this only when the bill arrives. Read our protected vs unprotected consumer guide to understand exactly how this works.

More units also mean more taxes

Taxes and surcharges on the bill scale with your consumption. General Sales Tax is charged on the energy cost, so it rises automatically with higher usage; FPA, surcharges and fixed charges add further layers. Our complete tax breakdown shows how each line on the bill grows as units climb.

Practical fixes that actually work

• Set the AC to 26–28°C. Each degree lower adds roughly 6% to consumption. Use the timer so it switches off after the room cools.
• Fans first. A ceiling fan uses a tiny fraction of an AC’s power. In the evening, fans plus ventilation often make the AC unnecessary.
• Clean filters and service the AC before summer; a clogged unit works harder for less cooling.
• Insulate the room: heavy curtains on sun-facing windows, sealed gaps under doors, and keeping doors closed make the AC’s job far easier.
• Shift heavy loads off-peak if your meter is time-of-use — washing machines and water pumps cost less at night.
• Track your units weekly with the meter so you never cross into the expensive slabs unknowingly. Try the bill estimator on our homepage to predict the damage before the bill arrives.

When to worry the bill is wrong

Sometimes a summer spike is not just the weather. If your usage pattern did not change but units jumped far beyond previous summers, check for a wrong reading, an estimated bill, or a faulty meter. Compare this month’s reading with the last three summers’ bills, and see our bill-reduction guide for a full checklist of savings measures.

Finally, remember that the summer bill reflects your previous month’s consumption, so the habits you build now show up on the next bill, not this one. Small changes compound: run the AC one hour less per day, keep one room rather than two cool, and iron clothes in bulk once a week instead of daily. None of these alone is dramatic, but together they can shave 100 to 150 units off a monthly bill — often the difference between staying in a cheaper slab and sliding into an expensive one. Your meter, and your wallet, will thank you.

Moving into a new house, building one, or setting up a shop? You will need a new electricity connection before anything else works. The process in Pakistan is straightforward once you know the steps, but it involves an application, a demand notice with fees, and a wait for the meter to be installed. Here is the full picture.

Who handles your application

New connections are issued by the distribution company for your area — one of the ten DISCOs, or K-Electric in Karachi. If you are unsure which company covers you, our WAPDA vs DISCOs guide lists all ten with their regions. Everything below runs through that company; no one else can issue you a meter.

The application process, step by step

1. Get the application form. Collect it from the DISCO’s customer service centre, sub-divisional office or the company’s website/online portal (several companies now accept online applications).
2. Fill it in and attach documents (see the next section). For tenants, the landlord’s documents and a tenancy agreement are needed; the connection usually stays in the owner’s name.
3. Submit at the relevant office and take the receipt. Your application gets a tracking/reference number — keep it.
4. Site survey. The company’s staff visit the premises to confirm the location, check the nearest pole/transformer and decide the technical feasibility.
5. Demand notice. If approved, you receive a demand notice: an official bill listing every charge you must pay (service connection charges, security deposit, meter cost and any extension-of-load charges).
6. Pay the demand notice at the designated bank within its validity period — usually a few weeks. Miss the deadline and the notice lapses.
7. Meter installation. After payment, the company schedules the meter installation and energises the connection. You will get a consumer/reference number, and your first bill follows in the next billing cycle.

Documents you will need

• Copy of your CNIC.
• Proof of ownership of the premises (registry, sale deed or allotment letter) — or the owner’s documents plus tenancy agreement for tenants.
• Affidavit/undertaking on stamp paper as required by the company.
• Recent photographs (some companies ask for them).
• No-dues clearance if a previous connection existed at the same premises with arrears.

Fees: what the demand notice includes

The total cost depends on the connection type (single-phase domestic is cheapest; three-phase and commercial cost more) and on how far your premises are from the existing network. Typical components:

• Service connection charges — the labour and material for extending the line to your premises.
• Security deposit — refundable when the connection is permanently disconnected.
• Meter cost — the price of the meter itself, which the company installs.
• Extension charges if a new pole or transformer work is needed.

Fees are revised periodically, so treat any figure you hear as indicative and rely on the demand notice for the exact amount. Never pay anyone except through the official demand notice at the designated bank — demands for cash “to speed things up” are a red flag.

Typical timeline

For a simple domestic connection near the existing network, the whole process often takes two to six weeks from application to energisation. Connections needing new poles, transformers or road crossings take longer. Delays are common in peak construction season — apply as early as you can, and follow up with your tracking number rather than waiting silently.

Three-phase and commercial connections

Heavier loads — workshops, tube wells, plazas — need three-phase or higher-capacity connections. The process is the same in outline but the survey is more detailed, the demand notice is substantially larger, and load approval may involve the company’s higher offices. Get the load requirement assessed properly before applying: under-declaring causes tripping and penalties later.

After the meter is installed

Note your first meter reading and keep the demand-notice receipt safe. When the first bill arrives, check it online (or on your own company’s checker page) and confirm the name, tariff and reference number are correct. If the name needs correcting later, see our name-change guide. From here on, your monthly routine is simple: read the meter, check the bill, pay before the due date.

Bought a new house, inherited a property or got married and need the electricity bill in your name? A bill that still carries the previous owner’s name is more than an inconvenience — it can block online payments, complicate complaints and even cause problems when you sell. Here is the complete process for transferring the consumer name on your electricity bill in Pakistan.

Why the name on the bill matters

The name on the bill identifies the legal consumer of the connection. When you pay through JazzCash, Easypaisa or a bank app, the app displays the consumer name before you confirm — if it is not yours, you cannot be sure you are paying the right bill. Name mismatches also slow down complaint handling and can hold up a future sale of the property, since buyers check that utility bills match the seller’s documents.

Documents you will need

Gather these before visiting the office — missing paperwork is the most common reason applications stall:

• CNIC copies of both the current consumer (the name on the bill) and the new consumer.
• Proof of ownership or possession: registered sale deed, registry or allotment letter. Tenants can usually apply with a valid tenancy agreement, though the transfer may be noted as temporary.
• Latest paid electricity bill — and all arrears must be cleared first; the company will not transfer a connection with unpaid dues.
• Affidavit/undertaking on stamp paper, if the company asks for one, stating the reason for the transfer.
• No-objection from the current consumer where applicable. In inheritance cases, the death certificate and succession documents replace this.

Tip: if you do not know your reference number, follow our guide on finding a lost reference number first — you will need it on the application form.

Where and how to apply

1. Visit your DISCO’s customer service centre or the sub-divisional office covering your area (for Karachi, the K-Electric customer care centre). Ask for the name change / change of ownership form.
2. Fill in the form with the reference number, the current consumer name, the new consumer name and contact details.
3. Attach all documents listed above and submit the file to the officer.
4. Pay the prescribed fee. The name-transfer fee is modest for domestic connections (it varies by company and is revised from time to time) — get a proper receipt.
5. Wait for verification. The company may verify the documents and, in some cases, inspect the premises.

Some companies also accept the request through their online portals or helplines, but the physical submission of documents at the office remains the standard route. If your company is LESCO, you can check your LESCO bill online after the transfer to confirm the new name appears.

How long does it take?

For a straightforward case with complete documents, the transfer usually completes within one to two billing cycles — so expect the old name on one more bill before the change shows. Complex cases (disputed ownership, missing documents) take longer. Keep the receipt of your application and follow up with the office if the name has not changed after two months.

Special cases

Inherited property: legal heirs can transfer the connection with the death certificate, succession certificate or court decree, plus their own CNICs. Tenants: a transfer to a tenant’s name is possible in some companies but is often temporary — it reverts when the tenancy ends. New purchase where a fresh connection is easier: if the old connection has heavy arrears or disputes, applying for a brand-new connection in your own name (see our new connection guide) can be simpler than untangling the old one.

After the transfer

Once the name changes, update your saved billers in JazzCash, Easypaisa and bank apps so future payments carry the correct details. And from the first bill in your name, check it online every month — a clean, correctly named bill is the foundation of everything else on this site.

A big electricity bill can be impossible to pay in one go — especially after a hot summer of air-conditioning. The good news is that your distribution company does not always demand the full amount at once. Most DISCOs in Pakistan offer a formal installment facility that splits a large bill into manageable monthly parts. Here is how it works and how to apply.

What the installment facility is

An installment plan lets you pay an outstanding bill in two to four monthly installments instead of a single payment. It is a formal arrangement approved by your DISCO — not an informal promise from a meter reader. Once approved, the company issues an installment bill showing each part’s amount and due date, and your supply continues normally as long as you keep paying.

Installments usually apply to large bills — arrears built up over months, a heavy summer bill, or a detection bill after a meter fault. They are designed for genuine hardship, and companies prioritise domestic consumers who apply before the disconnection date on the bill.

Who is eligible

Rules vary slightly between companies, but the typical conditions are:

• You are a domestic consumer (commercial and industrial connections have separate arrangements).
• The bill is genuinely large — companies usually set a minimum amount for installment eligibility.
• You have not defaulted on a previous installment plan recently.
• You apply before the due date or before the disconnection notice period ends.

If your bill carries arrears from earlier unpaid months, the company may require those to be included in the plan. Check the exact payable amount on your company’s checker page (or your own DISCO’s page) before you visit the office, so you know the full figure you are asking to split.

How to apply, step by step

1. Visit your DISCO’s customer service centre (or the sub-divisional office for your area) with your latest bill, a copy of your CNIC and the meter reference number.
2. Fill in the installment request form. State the bill amount, how many installments you need and your reason — staff will tell you what the company currently allows.
3. Get the approval. The officer (usually the SDO or revenue officer) approves the plan and decides the number and size of installments.
4. Collect the revised installment bill. The company issues a new bill or a schedule showing each installment’s due date. Keep it safe — it is your proof of the arrangement.
5. Pay each installment on time through any normal channel — bank, JazzCash, Easypaisa or the online payment methods in our payment guide.

Surcharge and payment rules

Installments are not free of conditions. Expect these rules:

• A surcharge or markup may be added for the installment facility — ask the officer for the exact amount before you sign.
• You must keep paying your current monthly bills in full on top of the installments; the plan covers the old arrears, not future bills.
• The late-payment surcharge still applies to any installment paid after its due date.
• Taxes and fixed charges on the original bill (see our taxes breakdown) are part of the amount being split — they do not disappear.

What happens if you default

Missing an installment is treated like missing the original bill: the company can cancel the plan and issue a disconnection notice for the full remaining balance. Repeated defaulters may also find it harder to get a second plan approved. If you realise you will miss a date, visit the office before it passes — officers are far more flexible with consumers who communicate than with those who simply stop paying.

Before you apply

An installment plan solves the immediate crisis, but the next bill will arrive on schedule. Use the breathing room to bring usage down — our 12 proven tips to reduce your bill are a good place to start — so the plan is a bridge, not the start of a cycle. And always check each new bill online the day it is issued, so you are never caught off guard again.

Every electricity bill in Pakistan carries the name of a distribution company — LESCO, MEPCO, IESCO, K-Electric and the rest. Yet when the lights go out or a bill looks wrong, many people still say “WAPDA did this.” The confusion is understandable: WAPDA was once the single giant running Pakistan’s entire power system. Here is what WAPDA actually does today, what the DISCOs do, and who you should really call.

What WAPDA is today

WAPDA (the Water and Power Development Authority) was set up in 1958 to build the country’s water and power infrastructure — dams, reservoirs and the first big transmission networks. Over the years the power side was unbundled: generation, transmission and distribution were handed to separate companies and authorities, including the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) for the high-voltage grid.

Today, WAPDA is mainly a hydel and water organisation: it runs the big dams and hydropower stations such as Tarbela and Mangla. It does not generate your bill, read your meter, or fix faults on your street. If a problem affects your home’s supply or your bill, WAPDA is almost never the right door to knock on.

What the DISCOs are

DISCOs are the distribution companies that buy electricity in bulk and sell it to you. There are ten of them, each covering a defined region:

LESCO (Lahore and central Punjab), GEPCO (Gujranwala), FESCO (Faisalabad), IESCO (Islamabad and surroundings), MEPCO (Multan and south Punjab), PESCO (Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), HESCO (Hyderabad), SEPCO (Sukkur and upper Sindh), QESCO (Quetta and Balochistan), and TESCO (tribal districts).

K-Electric is a separate case: it serves Karachi and nearby areas as a vertically integrated, privately owned utility — it generates, transmits and distributes its own power. That is why Karachi residents deal with K-Electric rather than any DISCO, and why our K-Electric bill checker is separate from the LESCO checker and others.

Who to contact for what

The rule is simple: everything about your connection and bill goes to your DISCO (or K-Electric). That includes new connections, meter faults, billing corrections, load-shedding schedules and complaint registration. Each company runs its own helpline and customer service centres — for example, LESCO’s is 118.

You can also handle most billing questions online. Select your company on our homepage or use the dedicated checker pages to view your latest LESCO bill, see the units consumed and confirm the amount before paying. If you are moving or setting up a new connection, read our new connection guide first — the process runs entirely through your DISCO.

Why the distinction matters for your bill

Your DISCO’s name appears at the top of the bill along with your reference number, and the first digits of that number often encode which company issued it. Slab rates, fuel price adjustments and taxes are set nationally, so the structure of the bill is similar everywhere — but who reads your meter, who issues the bill and who fixes problems is always your local company. Knowing that stops you queuing at the wrong office.

One more practical point: when you complain about a wrong reading or a billing error, quote your reference number and the billing month, and take your complaint number from the helpline. Escalation goes through the DISCO’s own grievance process and then the regulator’s consumer complaint cell — WAPDA’s offices have no role in it.

The short version

Think of it like this: WAPDA builds and runs the dams; NTDC carries power across the country on the big transmission towers; and your DISCO (or K-Electric) delivers it to your home and bills you for it. Ten DISCOs, one per region, plus K-Electric for Karachi — and every billing question starts and ends with them.

Your electricity meter is the one witness that knows exactly how much power your home uses — and it is worth learning to read it yourself. A monthly habit of noting your meter reading takes two minutes, lets you check that your bill is honest, and helps you spot when your usage is creeping into the expensive slabs. Here is how to read both kinds of meters used in Pakistan and how to turn the numbers into units.

The two kinds of meters in Pakistan

Most homes have one of two meter types. Digital (static) meters are now the most common: they have an LCD screen that cycles through several readings, such as the current kWh total, the time of day and sometimes the maximum demand. Analogue (electromechanical) meters are the older spinning-disc type with a row of rotating number dials. New connections are nearly always digital now, but plenty of analogue meters are still in service.

Reading a digital meter

Stand in front of the meter and look at the display. It usually shows readings in a loop — wait a few seconds until you see the figure marked kWh (sometimes labelled “current reading” or “total energy”). That number, typically five or six digits, is your cumulative meter reading: the total units the meter has recorded since it was installed. Ignore the small decimal digits after the point — billing counts whole units only. If your meter supports time-of-use billing, you may also see separate registers for peak and off-peak hours; your bill guide explains how those appear on the bill.

Reading an analogue dial meter

Analogue meters show the reading on a row of five or six numbered wheels. Read them left to right and write down each digit. When a wheel sits exactly between two numbers, take the lower number — unless the wheel to its right has already passed zero, in which case take the higher one. The spinning aluminium disc below is just the movement indicator; it does not show the reading. Take a photo of the dials so you have proof if the reading on your bill later disagrees.

How to calculate your units

The formula could not be simpler:

Units consumed = current reading − previous reading

Your previous reading is printed on your bill (or visible on your bill check page once you enter your reference number — if you have lost it, here is how to find your reference number). Subtract that from the number you just read on the meter and you have the units used since the last billing.

A worked example: suppose your bill shows a previous reading of 12,450 and your meter now reads 12,786. Your consumption is 12,786 − 12,450 = 336 units. If the figure on your bill is much higher than your own calculation, the meter reader may have recorded it wrong — or the bill may be based on an estimated reading, which the bill usually marks as “provisional”.

Read the meter on a schedule

Meters are normally read once a month on a fixed cycle. Note your reading on the 1st of every month (or whatever date your bill’s meter-reading date shows) and keep the numbers in your phone’s notes app. Over a few months you will see your pattern clearly — and you will know exactly which appliances are pushing you into the expensive upper slabs. Our guide on why bills shoot up in summer shows the usual culprits.

What to do if the reading looks wrong

First, double-check that you read the right register — digital meters cycle through several screens and it is easy to note the wrong one. Then compare against your bill’s “current reading” line. Small differences are normal if a few days have passed since the official reading. But if the bill’s reading is far above what the meter shows, visit your DISCO’s customer service centre with a photo of the meter and your bill; billing corrections are made through a formal adjustment, and you should not pay an inflated reading silently.

If the meter itself seems faulty — the display is blank, the digits are frozen, or the analogue disc spins even when everything is switched off — report it to your distribution company. A faulty meter is usually replaced free of charge, though the company may estimate your bill for the months the meter was out of order.

Estimate your bill before it arrives

Once you know your units, you can estimate the bill yourself: multiply the units by your slab rate and add the usual taxes and charges (our electricity bill taxes breakdown lists them all). Even easier, plug the number into the bill estimator on our homepage — no more month-end surprises. Reading your meter is a small habit; understanding it puts you back in control of the bill.

Scan your electricity bill and you will find a small but stubborn line item that has nothing to do with units, slabs or taxes: the PTV fee. Many consumers assume it is a mistake or a hidden charge. It is neither. Here is what the PTV licence fee is, who has to pay it, how much it costs, and whether you can get it removed.

What the PTV fee actually is

The PTV fee is a television licence fee collected on behalf of Pakistan Television (PTV), the state broadcaster. It is a statutory levy: instead of collecting it separately, the government uses electricity bills as the collection mechanism, because almost every household has an electricity connection. The distribution companies (DISCOs) and K-Electric collect it with your bill and pass it on to PTV. It funds the broadcaster’s operations, including its news, entertainment and regional-language programming.

How much is the PTV fee?

The fee is a flat monthly amount — it does not change with your units. For domestic consumers it is currently Rs 100 per month (it was raised from Rs 35 a few years ago, so older bills show the smaller figure). Commercial and industrial connections are charged at higher flat rates. Because it is fixed, a household using 80 units pays exactly the same PTV fee as one using 800. Always check the figure on your latest bill, since the government revises it through official notifications from time to time. If you want to see where it sits among the other extras, our complete breakdown of electricity bill taxes puts it in context.

Who has to pay it?

Every domestic electricity consumer in Pakistan pays the PTV fee — across all ten DISCOs (LESCO, GEPCO, FESCO, IESCO, MEPCO, PESCO, HESCO, SEPCO, QESCO and TESCO) as well as K-Electric in Karachi. It applies whether or not you own a television set, watch PTV, or even have a working TV antenna. The logic is simple: the fee is attached to the electricity connection, not to TV ownership. Businesses and tube-well connections pay their own prescribed rates.

Why is it on the electricity bill?

Collecting a licence fee door-to-door would be expensive and unreliable, so the government piggybacked it on the one bill nearly every household pays. The DISCOs already have the billing infrastructure, meter data and enforcement (non-payment can lead to disconnection), which makes the electricity bill the most efficient collection channel. That is also why the fee survives every wave of complaints: it is easy to collect and hard to avoid.

Can the PTV fee be removed from your bill?

For most consumers, no. There is no exemption for not owning a television, and customer service centres will not waive it on request. Over the years, consumers have challenged the fee in courts and through consumer forums, arguing they should not fund a channel they do not watch — but the levy remains in force as a statutory charge.

There are only a couple of narrow situations worth knowing about:

• Wrong amount charged. If your bill shows a PTV fee far above the notified rate (for example, the commercial rate on a domestic connection), raise it with your DISCO’s complaint cell or helpline and ask for a correction.
• Duplicate billing. If two bills in one month each carry the fee because of a billing error, the extra can usually be adjusted after a complaint.
• Exempt categories. Certain institutional or government connections are exempt by notification — but ordinary households are not.

In short: you cannot opt out, but you can and should dispute genuine billing errors.

How to check it on your bill

The PTV fee appears as its own line, usually labelled “PTV fee” or “TV licence fee”, in the taxes-and-charges section of the bill. If you are reading a paper bill for the first time, our guide to every section of the electricity bill shows exactly where to look. And if you have misplaced the paper copy, you can check your bill online — the PTV line appears on the digital duplicate too.

The bottom line

The PTV fee is a small, fixed, unavoidable part of every electricity bill in Pakistan — Rs 100 a month for a typical home, funding the state broadcaster whether you watch it or not. It will not make or break your budget, but understanding it stops it from being a mystery. For the bigger wins, focus on what you can control: estimate your usage with the bill estimator on our homepage and work through our 12 proven tips to cut your electricity bill, where the real savings hide.

Open any electricity bill in Pakistan and you will notice something striking: the amount you pay for the electricity you actually used is often much smaller than the final total. The rest is made up of taxes, duties, surcharges and fixed charges layered on top of your energy cost. If you have ever wondered where your money really goes, this guide breaks down every tax and charge on a Pakistani electricity bill, line by line.

Why your bill is more than your units

Your bill has two main parts. The first is the energy charge — the cost of the units (kWh) you consumed, multiplied by the slab rate. The second part is everything else: government taxes, regulatory surcharges, the TV licence fee and fixed monthly charges. On a typical domestic bill, these extras can add 30 to 50 per cent on top of the energy charge. To follow along with your own bill, it helps to understand every section of the electricity bill first.

General Sales Tax (GST)

GST is the biggest single tax on your bill. It is charged as a percentage of the energy cost (plus, in most cases, the fixed charges and some surcharges), and it currently stands at 18 per cent for most residential consumers. This means nearly one-fifth of your energy cost goes straight to the national exchequer as sales tax. Commercial and industrial consumers may face additional withholding-style taxes on top of this, but for a household, GST is the headline tax.

Fuel Price Adjustment (FPA)

FPA is not strictly a tax, but it behaves like one on your bill — an extra per-unit charge that changes every month. It reflects the difference between the reference fuel cost built into the tariff and the actual cost of the fuel (oil, gas, LNG) used to generate electricity that month. When international fuel prices rise, FPA goes up; when they fall, it can even be negative. Because it is charged per unit, heavy users feel it most. We have a detailed explainer on FPA and how it is calculated.

PTV licence fee

Every electricity bill carries a flat PTV licence fee — a fixed monthly amount collected on behalf of Pakistan Television. It is the same whether you use 50 units or 500, and whether or not you own a television. For the full story on who pays it, how much it is and whether it can be removed, read our guide What Is the PTV Fee on Your Electricity Bill?.

Fixed charges

Fixed charges are a flat monthly amount that depends on your connection type — single-phase domestic connections pay a smaller fixed charge than three-phase connections. You pay this even if you consume zero units in a month, because it covers the cost of keeping you connected to the grid: the meter, the service line and network maintenance. If you have a three-phase meter running a heavy load, expect a noticeably higher fixed charge.

Surcharges

Surcharges are extra levies added by the government or regulator for specific purposes, such as financing power-sector debt or funding development projects. Unlike GST, they are usually flat per-unit amounts rather than percentages, and they change from time to time through government notifications. Because they sit inside the taxable base, you effectively pay GST on some surcharges too — one reason the total climbs faster than people expect.

Electricity duty

Electricity duty is a small provincial tax levied on energy consumption. It appears as a separate line and is calculated on the units consumed. The rate varies by province, but for most domestic consumers it is a modest amount compared with GST and FPA.

Extra tax and further tax

If you see “extra tax” or “further tax” on a bill, it usually relates to commercial connections or consumers not registered in the sales tax regime. Ordinary domestic households rarely face these, but small businesses running on a domestic meter sometimes get an unpleasant surprise when their connection is reclassified.

A worked example

Imagine a household that used 300 units in a month at an average energy rate of about Rs 30 per unit. The energy charge is roughly Rs 9,000. Add FPA of, say, Rs 3 per unit (Rs 900), fixed charges and surcharges of a few hundred rupees, then apply 18 per cent GST on the taxable base, plus the PTV fee and electricity duty — and the final bill easily crosses Rs 12,000. The extras added more than a third on top of the energy cost.

How to keep the tax burden down

• Use fewer units. Almost every tax scales with consumption, so cutting units cuts GST, FPA, duty and surcharges together. Our 12 proven tips to reduce your electricity bill are the best starting point.
• Stay in the protected category. Protected consumers (using under 200 units for six consecutive months) pay lower slab rates, which also shrinks the tax base. Read our protected vs unprotected consumer guide to see how it works.
• Estimate before the bill arrives. Plug your expected units into the bill estimator on our homepage so there are no surprises, and check your latest bill online the moment it is issued.

Taxes on electricity are unlikely to disappear, but understanding each line puts you back in control. When you know what GST, FPA, fixed charges and surcharges actually are, you can spot errors, plan your usage and keep the extras as low as legitimately possible.