2 weeks Ago By NEWS WIRE
LAHORE - Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engineer Ramzan Butt announced on Wednesday that the “Apna Meter, Apni Reading” program will be launched very soon. Under this initiative, consumers will be provided with a link through which they can submit their own meter readings, which will then be officially considered for billing. He made this announcement while speaking to members of the business community at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), where LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad, Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman, Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry, SAARC Chamber Vice President Mian Anjum Nisar, and former LCCI President Muhammad Ali Mian also spoke.
The LESCO CEO stated that there is a collective realization—from the Prime Minister down to the grassroots level—that the survival of the power sector is essential for the survival of the country. He added that once the power sector is steered in the right direction, associated issues will also be resolved, and that thanks to the Prime Minister’s efforts, this direction is now being aligned. Engineer Ramzan Butt also revealed that a Rapid Response Force has been established to promptly restore electricity supply in the event of outages due to bad weather or other causes.
He acknowledged the critical role of the business community, noting that their continued electricity consumption keeps the economic wheel turning. Assuring stakeholders, he categorically denied the possibility of overbilling or over-reading and emphasized that LESCO is actively working to resolve customer issues, including meter replacements and provisioning of new connections—right at customers’ doorsteps. Declaring LESCO staff as public servants, he noted that their responsibility is to ensure an uninterrupted power supply, and clarified that LESCO currently has no shortage of material.
Instructions have been issued to ensure there is no tripping on industrial feeders. Responding to a question about FIRs, he reassured the audience that LESCO is taking steps to ensure that no undue action is taken against anyone. He acknowledged that meter-related issues sometimes arise due to a lack of awareness among industrial consumers and emphasized that the responsibility for meter monitoring lies with the meter readers.
LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad raised several pressing concerns. While acknowledging that the issue of MDI (Maximum Demand Indicator) fixed charges falls under NEPRA’s jurisdiction, he highlighted its negative impact on industrial members. Under NEPRA’s new regulations, all industrial and commercial users must pay 50 percent of their sanctioned load, regardless of actual unit consumption—drastically increasing operational costs.
He urged the LESCO CEO to convey this concern to NEPRA and other relevant authorities. He also expressed serious concern over hanging power cables in various markets, which pose safety hazards and have led to multiple accidents. Despite repeated complaints, the issue has not been addressed.
He urged LESCO to instruct relevant departments to prioritize the removal or securing of such hazardous wiring. LCCI Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman and Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry also raised the issue of late electricity bill deliveries—often arriving just a day or two before the due date. This delay prevents timely payment and results in swift disconnection by LESCO teams, adding to the difficulties faced by consumers.
Mian Abuzar Shad pointed out that when meters are damaged or malfunctioning, LESCO bills consumers based on average annual consumption, which does not reflect seasonal variations in electricity use. He proposed that average billing be calculated using consumption data from the same month of the previous year and urged LESCO to prioritize the replacement of faulty meters reported by consumers. The LCCI office-bearers and Executive Committee Members also discussed the issue of high transmission losses, which contribute significantly to Pakistan’s energy shortfall.
According to NEPRA’s State of Industry Report 2022–23, LESCO’s line losses stood at 11.3 percent, amounting to approximately Rs21.8 billion.
Alarmingly, these losses rose to 16 percent in 2023–24, resulting in losses of Rs47.6 billion. The LCCI demanded to know what steps LESCO is taking to reduce losses to 8 percent or lower.
To promote energy conservation, LESCO was also advised to launch public awareness campaigns encouraging the use of energy-efficient appliances. LCCI offered its halls for joint awareness sessions in collaboration with LESCO. As summer intensifies, consistent heavy loads lead to frequent feeder and transformer tripping and damage.
LCCI stressed the need for LESCO to regularly upgrade its infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted power supply and stable voltage during peak demand seasons. The LCCI office-bearers welcomed the launch of the LESCO mobile app and requested that its key features be shared with chamber members to save time and improve service access. They also urged LESCO to appoint a dedicated focal person to facilitate swift communication between chamber members and LESCO officials for the timely resolution of complaints.
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