Bills
How Electricity Bills Are Estimated in Pakistan
Direct answer
Pakistan's residential electricity tariff (NEPRA Annex-C, effective 01.01.2026) bills lifeline (up to 100 units) and protected consumers cumulatively across slabs, but bills non-protected consumers' entire monthly consumption at the single rate of the slab it falls into. A fixed charge, monthly FCA/QTA adjustment, GST and PTV fee are then added.
Key takeaways
- Lifeline (≤100 units, protected) is billed cumulatively and is FCA-exempt.
- Protected consumers above 100 units still use cumulative (telescoping) slabs.
- Non-protected consumers pay one flat rate on their ENTIRE consumption — not telescoped.
- FCA/QTA, GST and the PTV fee are added on top of the energy and fixed charges.
Core bill components
The energy charge depends on your connection status (protected or non-protected) and total units. A fixed charge is added based on a units band, then the monthly fuel-cost adjustment (FCA/QTA), GST and the PTV fee are applied.
Protected vs non-protected slab treatment
Protected consumers (residential, average consumption up to roughly 200 units) are billed cumulatively: each slab's units are charged at that slab's rate, so only the units above a threshold move to the next rate. Lifeline consumers (protected, ≤100 units) get an even lower cumulative rate and are exempt from FCA.
Non-protected consumers are billed differently: the entire month's units are charged at the single rate of the band the total falls into — this is a materially higher bill for the same units once you cross into a higher band, since there is no telescoping.
Why the issued bill may differ
The FCA/QTA rate changes almost every month with a fresh NEPRA notification, so always check the current bill or notification rather than relying on last month's rate. Meter rent, arrears, previous balance and DISCO-specific line items can also create differences from this estimate.
Original reference table
Bill-input checklist
| Input | Where to check | Common error |
|---|---|---|
| Units | Meter reading / bill | Using an estimate from a different month |
| Connection status | Bill (protected / non-protected) | Assuming status from units alone |
| FCA/QTA rate | Latest NEPRA notification | Using a stale month's rate |
| GST/PTV | Bill lines | Forgetting to include them in a comparison |
Want your own estimate?
Use the transparent calculator
Enter your figures and see the formula, assumptions and result.
Useful questions
Quick answers
Can an online calculator reproduce the exact bill?
Not reliably — meter rent, arrears and DISCO-specific line items vary. Seedha Hisab intentionally labels this tool an estimator built on the current NEPRA schedule.
Why is my non-protected bill so much higher than a protected bill for similar units?
Non-protected consumers are billed at one flat rate for all units once they cross into a higher band, while protected consumers are billed cumulatively across slabs.
Sources & references
How this guide was checked
National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA)
Consumer End Tariff, Annex-C (effective 01.01.2026) and July 2026 FCA notification
Select the relevant utility and current determination.
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Update history: 18 September 2026 — guide created or verified against the source and methodology shown above.