The redesigned bill shows three things prominently: the total amount payable, the due date and the units you consumed. The change is to how the bill looks, not how it is worked out. No official source says the new format added, removed or changed any tariff, tax or charge, so if your October 2026 bill is higher, look at the fuel charge, not the layout.
What changed, and why
The distribution companies (DISCOs) began using a redesigned bill in mid-June 2026 as part of the Power Division's consumer-focused reforms. The stated aims were simplicity, readability and putting the key billing information in a clear structure.
The Ministry of Energy gave the reason plainly: people complained that the old bill was hard to understand. It carried too many technical details, the presentation was crowded and some content was repeated.
Three changes are reported:
- The essentials come first. The total payable amount, the due date and the units consumed are shown prominently.
- Energy charges sit apart from taxes. Business Recorder reported that the redesign aims to show energy charges separately from taxes and to correct common misunderstandings. That report cites unnamed sources rather than an official notice, so treat it as the intention, and check how your own bill sets it out.
- A QR code is printed on the bill. Officially, it gives access to "supplementary information and digital services". More on that below.
MEPCO said it adopted the format on the instructions of the Ministry of Energy (Power Division). Its CEO, Engineer Gull Muhammad Zahid, said the bill now shows the payable amount, due date, units consumed and other billing details more clearly.
Which companies print the new bill
As of 17 June 2026, this was the confirmed position:
| Company | Status as of 17 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| LESCO | Already printing the new format |
| GEPCO | Already printing the new format |
| MEPCO | Already printing the new format |
| IESCO | Due to start the following Monday |
| Other DISCOs | Still in procurement; to switch once that was finished |
If you are with HESCO, PESCO, QESCO, SEPCO, TESCO, FESCO, HAZECO or AJK, you may still be getting the old format. Whether any of them have switched since June has not been confirmed, so go by the bill in your hand. K-Electric is not named in any of the reports on the redesign.
How to read the new bill, section by section
No official annotated copy of the new bill, and no official list of its field labels, has been published by the Power Division, a DISCO or PITC. Pages that claim the bill has a fixed number of sections with exact names come from unofficial sites. The steps below follow what is officially reported; match each step to the wording printed on your own bill.
1. Find the amount, the due date and the units
These are the three items the redesign brings to the front, so they should be the easiest to spot.
- Find the total amount payable. This is what you owe if you pay by the due date.
- Find the due date. Paying late adds a surcharge, so note this date first.
- Find the units consumed for the month. This is the figure your energy charges are worked out from.
If the units look high, compare them with the same month last year and with your meter reading before you assume an error. A summer month with air-conditioning will look very different from a spring month.
2. Find your reference number
The reference number identifies your connection. You need it to check the bill online, pay it, or complain about it.
- Locate the reference number on the bill. If the new layout has moved it from where you remember, our guide on where the reference number is on your electricity bill explains what it looks like.
- Enter it in the bill checker to see the current bill online.
- Compare the online amount and due date with the paper copy. They should match.
Checking online is also useful when the paper bill arrives late or goes missing.
3. Read energy charges and taxes separately
The redesign is meant to show the cost of the electricity itself apart from the taxes and duties added on top. Read them in that order.
- Look at the energy charges first. These depend on your units and your tariff.
- Then look at the taxes. These are added to the energy charges and are set outside the DISCO's billing.
- If any line is unfamiliar, our explainer on unit slabs, fuel price adjustment and taxes covers what each charge is and how it is calculated.
Seeing the two apart helps you tell whether a higher bill comes from using more units or from the charges added to them.
4. Find the fuel cost adjustment
The fuel cost adjustment (FCA) is a per-unit charge that recovers the difference between what fuel actually cost and the reference cost built into the tariff. It is the line most likely to explain a change in your bill this autumn.
- Find the FCA line on your bill and the rate per unit.
- Check it against this month's notified figure on this month's FCA page, which also lists past months.
- Multiply the rate by your units to see roughly what it adds.
For October 2026 bills, NEPRA notified an FCA of Rs 1.11 per unit for August consumption. The actual fuel cost was Rs 8.21 per kWh against a reference of Rs 7.10 per kWh, about Rs 16 billion in total. It applies to consumers of the government-owned DISCOs and K-Electric, but not to lifeline consumers, EV charging stations or prepaid consumers.
What the QR code is for
Officially, the QR code on the new bill gives access to "supplementary information and digital services". That is the full official description.
Some unofficial websites say the code shows your subsidy eligibility or lets you pay the bill directly. No official source says either about the new format, so do not rely on those claims.
To stay safe:
- Scan only the code printed on your paper bill, never one sent by text, WhatsApp or social media.
- Look at the web address the code opens before you enter anything. If it is not an official government or DISCO site, close it.
- Never enter bank or card details on a page you reached from a forwarded link.
Look-alike sites with names close to the real companies publish "new bill format explained" pages. They are not official. Our guide to spotting fake bill QR codes and subsidy links shows the warning signs.
Did the new layout make your bill go up?
No source says the redesign changed how your bill is calculated. The new look can make the total feel more prominent, but the figures behind it follow the same tariff, taxes and adjustments as before.
Recent increases come from fuel cost adjustments:
| Bill month | FCA per unit | Status |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | Rs 1.11 | Notified by NEPRA, for August consumption |
| November 2026 | Rs 2.56 | Projected by the Power Division for September; not yet decided by NEPRA |
The November figure is a projection. NEPRA has not decided it, so the final rate on your November bill may differ. Check this month's page once the bill arrives.
If your units went up as well, that alone can raise the energy charges and the taxes calculated on them. Compare units first, then the FCA rate, before deciding the bill is wrong.
If a line looks wrong
The clearer layout makes it easier to point at the exact line you disagree with. When you complain, name that line and give the figure printed against it.
- Check the units against your meter. A reading that does not match the meter is the most common reason to dispute a bill.
- Check the FCA rate against the notified figure for that month.
- Check that your reference number and connection details are correct.
- If something is still wrong, use our complaint letter for a wrong bill, in English or Urdu, and take it to your DISCO with a copy of the bill.
Keep a copy of the bill and your complaint until the matter is settled.
What to do next
- Find the amount payable, due date and units on your bill, and note the due date.
- Enter your reference number in the bill checker and confirm the online bill matches the paper one.
- Compare this month's FCA line with the notified rate on this month's page.
- Scan the QR code only from your paper bill, and close any page that is not on an official site.
- If a figure is wrong, send a complaint letter to your DISCO naming the line in question.
Sources
- DISCOs introduce simplified electricity bills (The Express Tribune)
- DISCOs roll out redesigned electricity bills across Pakistan (Business Recorder)
- Discos launch new electricity bill format (Business Recorder)
- DISCOs introduce simplified electricity bills with clearer layout and QR codes (Profit)
- MEPCO introduces new bill format to enhance consumer convenience (APP)
- NEPRA allows Rs1.11 per unit fuel adjustment in October billing (The Express Tribune)
- Power Division projects Rs2.56 per unit increase in Nov bills (Dawn)