The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has proposed changes to the rules governing detection bills charged to consumers involved in electricity theft.
According to documents, the proposed amendments would allow power distribution companies (Discos) to charge detection bills for a maximum period of 12 months in certain electricity theft cases.
Under the proposal, detection bills for commercial, industrial, tube well and other registered consumers could cover a period of up to 12 months and would be calculated on the basis of the consumer’s load.
For domestic consumers, however, the maximum detection billing period would remain limited to six months.
The proposed rules would allow Discos to issue detection bills in cases involving the use of bogus or fake meters. Detection bills could also be imposed where a meter’s load profile has been frozen or altered.
Consumers could also face detection bills if billing meters are manipulated through software or if meter readings are reversed or changed through a device, including Bluetooth devices.
The proposed amendments would also cover cases involving breaches of billing meter security and other related forms of meter tampering. In such cases, the detection bill would be calculated on the basis of load rather than future or previous electricity consumption.
The maximum detection billing period for domestic consumers would remain six months, according to the proposed changes.
The new rules will only take effect if NEPRA approves the proposed amendments to its Consumer Service Manual.
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