ISLAMABAD: The electricity distribution companies (Discos) operating under the Power Division on Tuesday conceded billing discrepancies highlighted by the power regulator Nepra in a recent inquiry report but downplayed the extent of the wrongdoings happening to consumers and attributed its veracity to the natural, human and technical factors.

The “initial response” released by the Power Division comes days after it formed an “independent committee” led by a former power secretary, Irfan Ali, to review the basis and methodology of the Nepra inquiry report that found massive irregularities in meter reading, billing, defective metering and the corrective mechanism in all Discos.

At the outset, the response confirmed that “overall action taken by Nepra is rationalised” and hence “carrying out the initial regulatory proceedings followed by the formulation of the inquiry committee to carry out analysis of excessive complaints and addressing the consumer grievances and visiting regional offices of Discos is the appropriate approach for ensuring a thorough investigation”.

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It also conceded that the “recovery ratio of the total volume of the detection bills charged by the Discos to the consumers … in Nepra’s inquiry report, appears correct”.

However, it said the Nepra report contained “serious flaws pertaining to the data accuracy, methodologies employed and inconsistencies with the applicable processes and ground realities”.

It questioned Nepra’s argument that meter reading should never go beyond 30 days under the consumer service manual and said this could not be the case for the 31-day months and could exceed 34 days in case of holidays or weekends or other factors.

In that case, consumers get compensated the following month. However, the claim appears far from the truth since some consumer categories who breach a monthly consumption slab in a month cannot avail that subsidised slab for the next six months.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2023