Electricity consumers across Pakistan are witnessing a significant increase in their monthly power bills after the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) implemented a revised tariff structure introducing major changes to fixed charges.

Under the updated mechanism, fixed electricity charges are now determined according to a consumer’s approved electricity load rather than the number of units consumed, fundamentally changing how domestic bills are calculated.

The revised tariff was approved by NEPRA on the request of the federal government and has been in force since January 2026.

Previously, fixed charges applied only to households consuming more than 300 units per month, with monthly fees ranging between Rs200 and Rs1,000. The new policy expands these charges to almost all residential consumers, excluding only lifeline users, regardless of how little electricity they consume.

Officials said the revised structure sets fixed charges across various slabs between Rs200 and Rs675 per kilowatt per month, substantially increasing the base cost of electricity for many households.

As a result, consumers with higher sanctioned loads are experiencing noticeable bill increases even when their electricity usage remains low. For instance, a household with a sanctioned load of 5 kilowatts could now pay fixed charges of up to Rs3,375 monthly, compared to the earlier maximum of Rs1,000.