Islamabad:
An audit has unearthed a massive overbilling scam that involves eight electricity distribution companies (disc), which collectively extorted more than RS244 billion consumers in an attempt to mask inefficiencies, losses and theft in the system.
According to the documents obtained by the Express PAkGazette, the audit report exposes serious financial irregularities in the operations of discos in Islamabad, Lahore, Hyderabad, Finen, Peshawar, Quetta, Sukkur and the old tribal areas.
The report reveals that no measures were taken against any official responsible for illegal billing, despite the fact that the overload was carried out systematically to cover transmission losses, energy theft and low operational performance.
In a shocking revelation, even agricultural tubes wells and deceased people were not saved. Fine Electric Power Company (MEPCO) only sent energy invoices worth RS496 million to dead customers.
In addition, zero units consumers were charged for more than 1.22 million units.
The report establishes that in just one month, five of these companies slapped 278,649 consumers with excessive amounts for a total of RS47.81 billion. Throughout fiscal year 2023–24, consumers were billed for 904.6 million additional electricity units.
Despite the claims of the companies that the overloaded amounts have been reimbursed, documentary evidence was not provided to the audit authorities.
The audit observed that these companies could not produce any record that verifies reimbursements, which generated concerns about transparency and responsibility.
Among the most atrocious cases were Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco), which exceeded agricultural consumers in more than RS148 billion during fiscal year 2023–24, supposedly hiding operational lapses.
Similarly, ten discos billed RS18.64 billion additional at 1,432 feeders.
In total, the excessive value of RS22 billion was imposed on compensated line losses, the audit reveals.
Although some reimbursements were issued, such as RS5.29 billion for incorrect readings of meters and RS2.18 billion in multiple credit adjustments by Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco), the lack of support documentation continues to doubt the credibility of these statements.
Audit authorities have now formally sought clarifications of the eight discos, but so far, the distribution companies have not provided the requested records.
