Lesco stops payment of bills on installments to meet revenue target

LAHORE: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) has banned installments in its electricity bills to meet its revenue target for the month of August, said sources.

Accordingly, said the sources, a ban has been imposed on the bills for the month of August. So far as arrears of the past are concerned, the company would allow only two installments. These arrears are related to the fuel price adjustment (FPA).

It may be noted that the imposition of over Rs 9 FPA had led to a large scale hue and cry on the part of consumers which resulted into a lenient approach of the company and had offered installments in bills. The company sources said efforts would be made to achieve the target for the month of August.

Meanwhile, the ministry of energy’s power division will charge Rs 4.67 per unit fuel price adjustment (FPA) for the month of July to be payable in the month of September, said the sources. It would further be down to Rs 4.50 once National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) adjudicates upon it in the coming days. Meanwhile, a tax burden of about Re 1 would also be added to this amount, they added.

According to the sources, the FPA for the month of August, payable along with the bills for the month of October, would also be in the same range.

It may be noted that imposition of Rs 9.89 per unit FPA plus around Rs2.00 tax for the month of June, and then required to be paid by the consumers in the month of August, had invited public ire countrywide. So much that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had no option but to appear on state television to announce a relief to the life line consumers in the midst of his official visit to Qatar.

Earlier, the electricity consumers had been charged Rs7.90 per unit for the month of May, to be paid in the month of July.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022