Many LESCO customers want to estimate their bill before it arrives. The amount mostly comes down to one thing: how many units (kilowatt-hours) you used, charged through NEPRA's slab system. This guide explains how the slabs work and walks through a worked example.
How NEPRA's slab tariff works
Electricity tariffs in Pakistan are set by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), not by LESCO. Domestic users are billed on a slab system: the more units you consume in a month, the higher the per-unit rate that applies to the upper portion of your usage. Rough domestic slabs look like this:
- 1 to 100 units
- 101 to 200 units
- 201 to 300 units
- 301 to 400 units
- Above 400 units
Each slab carries a different rate, rising as you go up. The example rates below are illustrative only and are used to show the method; always check the current approved rates on the official NEPRA website.
A worked example: a 300-unit household
Imagine a home that used 300 units in a month, with these illustrative rates: Rs 16 for the first 100 units, Rs 22 for the next 100, and Rs 27 for units 201 to 300. The energy cost is calculated slab by slab:
- First 100 units × Rs 16 = Rs 1,600
- Next 100 units × Rs 22 = Rs 2,200
- Next 100 units × Rs 27 = Rs 2,700
- Energy subtotal = Rs 6,500
Then come the surcharges and taxes
Your final bill is more than the energy cost. On top of the subtotal, LESCO bills typically add a fuel price adjustment, financing or surcharge line items, a fixed or minimum charge, the TV licence fee and General Sales Tax. Together these can add a significant amount, so a 300-unit bill with a Rs 6,500 energy subtotal might total noticeably more once everything is included.
Watch the slab jump
Crossing a slab threshold can cost more than you expect. For unprotected consumers, going just over a boundary (for example from 200 to 210 units) can move a larger share of your usage to a higher rate, which is why a small rise in units sometimes causes a big jump in the bill. Keeping usage just under a threshold near month-end can genuinely save money.
See your exact LESCO bill
Estimates are useful, but the real figure is always on your bill. To see your actual units, charges and total, check your LESCO bill online with your 14-digit reference number, free and in seconds.