Energy Minister Promises Relief: 80% Discount for Consumers Using Up to 200 Units of Electricity

Federal Minister for Energy, Awais Leghari, has announced that consumers using up to 200 units of electricity are receiving an 80% discount on their bills. He also assured that additional relief measures are being planned to further support electricity users across Pakistan.

National Assembly Committee Reviews Energy Sector Issues

The remarks were made during a session of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Energy, chaired by Muhammad Idrees. Key discussions focused on grid infrastructure issues affecting HESCO and K-Electric, particularly the need for an alternative grid station.

HESCO officials informed the committee that if the Jamshoro grid station fails, it can cause a blackout across all of HESCO’s coverage, affecting 13 cities. They stressed the urgent need for a 220 kV backup grid, suggesting Nawabshah and Matiari as potential alternatives.

Minister Awais Leghari, however, noted that blackouts in Jamshoro only occur during national-level outages, and he doesn’t recall any separate local failures in that grid.

In contrast, HESCO representatives pointed to past incidents of grid failure in Jamshoro, causing widespread disruptions. They insisted on the importance of having an alternate grid system to avoid such risks in the future.

K-Electric and Jamshoro Grid: No Direct Connection

Committee member Syed Waseem Hussain claimed that faults at the Jamshoro grid impact Karachi as well. But the energy minister clarified that K-Electric operates independently and has no link to the Jamshoro grid. He added that K-Electric can now draw up to 600 MW from the national grid, raising its total power supply capacity to 2,000 MW.

A report is expected to be prepared first to assess the actual requirement for an alternative grid before proceeding.

NTDC Briefs on Grid Developments

Officials from NTDC (National Transmission & Dispatch Company) provided an update, mentioning ongoing upgrades including:

• A new grid station is under construction at Mirpurkhas.
• Installation of new transformers at several locations, including Khan Pahari Road and Jamshoro
• Active transmission lines from K-2, K-3, Chinese power projects, and Matiari, all of which are currently integrated and supplying power across regions

They noted that full functionality of the Matiari station is still under development, and no new transmission line can be activated until it is completed.

PESCO Highlights Regional Power Allocation Challenges

Representatives from PESCO told the committee that their region receives just 5.5% of total power generation, based on local generation quotas. Their regular demand ranges between 1,250 and 1,300 MW, and the existing allocation falls short, affecting supply consistency.

High Electricity Bills Spark Heated Debate

Committee members raised serious concerns about expensive electricity and delayed connections in many housing societies and informal settlements.

Rana Sikandar Hayat, a committee member, criticized the lack of electricity in colonies that have existed for over 50 years, noting that such areas are prone to power theft. He pointed out the widespread use of illegal hookups and demanded regularization.

In response, Awais Leghari explained that connections in housing societies are only provided when local authorities officially request them. He added that while increasing connections would benefit the power department by increasing usage (and potentially lowering tariffs), it could also have broader national implications.

Disparity in Bills Between 200 and 201 Units

MNA Anwar Taj brought attention to a growing concern among the public—why electricity bills spike dramatically after crossing 200 units. He suggested the committee formally examine this issue.

Rana Sikandar Hayat added that bills for lifeline users consuming 200 units are around PKR 5,000, but after using just one extra unit, the bill can jump to PKR 15,000, and users are removed from the protected consumer category for the next six months.

He recommended that instead of penalizing consumers for six months, the rule should only apply for the current month.

Minister Vows Further Relief

Awais Leghari reaffirmed that an 80% discount is currently provided for those using 200 units or less, and more consumer-friendly reforms are in the pipeline to reduce the financial burden on low-usage households.