MEPCO Overbilling — What NEPRA Confirmed Happened
The documented history of systematic billing errors affecting millions of South Punjab consumers (2023–2025)
The 2023 billing crisis — 5.7 million overcharged in one month
In July and August 2023, electricity bills arrived across Pakistan at Rs. 15,000–30,000 for households that had been paying Rs. 5,000–8,000. NEPRA’s subsequent inquiry confirmed the scale.
What did NEPRA find about MEPCO’s 2023 overbilling? NEPRA’s inquiry found that more than 5.7 million MEPCO consumers were billed for electricity cycles significantly exceeding 30 days — in some cases 40, 45, or even 50+ day cycles. MEPCO had the highest number of overbilled consumers among all DISCOs. The mechanism: when meter readers missed visits, the billing system generated estimated readings for longer-than-30-day cycles. These pushed hundreds of thousands of protected consumers (≤200 units/month) into the unprotected category at double the rate.
⚠️ A household genuinely using 180 units in 30 days appeared to have consumed 270 units in a 45-day cycle — and was charged at unprotected rates for every unit.
The 2024 pro-rata scandal — 62,765 MEPCO consumers wrongly lost protection
How did the pro-rata billing mechanism hurt MEPCO consumers in 2024? NEPRA found that a Pro-Rata Billing Mechanism — designed by PPMC consultants and implemented without adequate NEPRA oversight — resulted in 326,350 protected consumers across all DISCOs being incorrectly classified as unprotected. Of these, 62,765 were MEPCO consumers billed at unprotected rates for months they had genuinely remained under 200 units. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described those responsible as “enemies of the people.” The FIA was directed to investigate.
The 2025 audit — Rs. 48 billion in unjustified charges
A 2025 government audit of five major DISCOs found 278,649 consumers overbilled by a total of Rs. 48 billion in a single billing cycle in fiscal year 2023–24. For MEPCO specifically, the audit confirmed that Rs. 49.6 million in bills were issued to deceased individuals — connections never closed after account holders died. Key billing verification records were withheld from auditors.
How to check if you were affected
Access your 12-month billing history through this site using your 14-digit reference number. Look for:
- Months with unusually high consumption compared to your normal pattern
- Months where your status switched from Protected to Unprotected unexpectedly
- Billing periods covering more than 30–33 days
If you find such a month, file a bill correction complaint with your MEPCO subdivision referencing the specific billing period.
Your rights
Under NEPRA’s Distribution Code and Consumer Service Manual, every MEPCO consumer has the right to: an accurate bill based on actual meter reading, a 30-day billing cycle, file a complaint with the SDO and escalate to NEPRA if unresolved within 30 days, pay only the undisputed amount during a legitimate billing dispute, and receive a refund or credit for proven overbilling.
These rights exist in writing. They have been invoked successfully by thousands of MEPCO consumers. For a step-by-step process, see our bill correction guide.
Sources: NEPRA 2023 inquiry report, ProPakistani investigative reporting July 2023, Ministry of Energy notification March 2024, Government of Pakistan audit report 2025. Last verified July 2026.
