NEPRA Exposes Billions in Unapproved Smart Meter Spending

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has strongly criticized Pakistan’s power distribution companies for installing around four million Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meters without obtaining prior regulatory approval. The large-scale rollout, reportedly directed by the Ministry of Energy, involves investments worth billions of rupees, with each AMI meter costing up to Rs. 20,000—four times more than a standard meter. During a hearing on QESCO’s multi-year tariff petition, NEPRA questioned the legality and financial transparency of the installations. It also reviewed QESCO’s low recovery rate, backlog of faulty meters, and delayed connections. NEPRA further asked HESCO to explain recent accidents in its jurisdiction, while the company proposed a shift toward fixed network charges and a gross metering model to resolve subsidy issues.