The government is actively working to stop the practice of imposing higher electricity charges on consumers for six full months just because their monthly usage crosses the 200-unit mark by even one unit. Federal Minister for Power Division Awais Leghari shared this update while responding to a calling-attention notice in the Senate.
PML-N Senator Abid Sher Ali raised serious concerns about the current system. He questioned why a household using only 201 units suddenly faces the same expensive rates that apply to people consuming up to 400 units. This rule, he said, places an unfair extra burden on ordinary and low-income families.
Minister Leghari explained that around 20 million consumers currently use fewer than 200 units every month. While this number looks large, he noted that simply extending the same relief to everyone in this group may not be the best approach. Some of these households already have solar power systems that lower their dependence on the national grid. Therefore, the government prefers targeted relief for families living below the poverty line instead of a blanket discount.
The minister also revealed that authorities are seriously considering raising the existing threshold from 200 units to 250 units. This change would give many more households breathing space before higher rates kick in.
Speaking separately at the National Energy Summit 2026 in Islamabad, Leghari outlined wider power sector reforms. He confirmed that a competitive electricity market is already operational and the government will not buy any additional power. Consumers with capacity up to one megawatt will soon be able to purchase electricity directly. The first request for proposals under this new market has been issued, and nearly 400 megawatts of power is expected to move onto the transmission grid through this mechanism in the coming months.
In another positive step, wheeling charges have been reduced from Rs28 to roughly Rs11-12 per unit. These measures aim to create a fairer and more efficient system while protecting those who need help the most. The government appears focused on balancing consumer relief with long-term sector reforms.
