No, you cannot claim money back from LESCO, MEPCO, PESCO or any other distribution company for a late repair, a faulty meter or a slow new connection yet. NEPRA's Performance Standards (Distribution) Regulations 2026 came into force in August 2026, but the compensation clause, Regulation 13, only starts two years after that. The service deadlines apply now, and NEPRA can already fine a company that misses them.
This guide explains what was notified, why the payments are delayed, which deadlines bind your company today, and what you can do when a fault drags on.
What NEPRA notified in August 2026
NEPRA notified the Performance Standards (Distribution) Regulations 2026 under SRO 1430(I)/2026, dated 25 August 2026. It is a 68-page framework that replaces the Performance Standards (Distribution) Rules, 2005, which had governed DISCO service levels for two decades.
The new rules set deadlines for restoring supply after faults, replacing faulty meters, dealing with voltage fluctuations, providing new connections and other services. For the first time, missing those deadlines is meant to carry mandatory compensation to consumers, on top of fines imposed by NEPRA.
Some news reports said consumers will now be paid through their bills for slow repairs. That made it sound as if payments start straight away. They do not.
Why you cannot claim compensation yet
The commencement clause in NEPRA's own text says the regulations "shall come into force with immediate effect, save that Regulation 13 shall come into force after two years from the date these Regulations come into force."
Regulation 13 is the compensation clause. So the position as of October 2026 is:
- The deadlines and standards apply now.
- NEPRA's power to fine companies for breaking them applies now.
- Compensation to individual consumers does not start until about two years after August 2026.
The exact start day depends on the date the regulations formally came into force, which this site has not confirmed against the Gazette. Treat any article or message that gives you a precise start date with caution, and check NEPRA's website for any announcement closer to the time.
What the compensation clause says
When it does start, Regulation 13 makes the distribution company liable to pay compensation for "non-compliance with any of the provisions of these Regulations" to the applicant, consumer, industrial consumer or captive power producer, as the case may be.
The amounts are payable "in accordance with Schedule I of these Regulations". Schedule I is the table that lists each service, its time limit and the compensation for missing it.
The regulation also sets out how payment to consumers is to be made. News coverage describes this as payment through your electricity bill. Two things are still unclear:
- Whether payment will be automatic. NEPRA has not published a procedure for claiming compensation. Its 2024 draft referred to a "detailed procedure for claiming compensation", which suggests one will be issued later, but that was a draft and may not match the final position.
- How you will prove a delay. Until a procedure is published, nobody can tell you what evidence will be needed.
There is no official form or portal for compensation claims. If someone offers you one, see the section on fake links below.
Deadlines that apply now
Several standards are already binding. These are the ones the published text and reporting state clearly:
| Service | Standard |
|---|---|
| Blown fuses and minor low-voltage faults (not cable, transformer or switchgear faults) | Fixed within the Schedule I time limit in 100% of cases |
| Line and cable breakdowns | Restored within the Schedule I time limit in 100% of cases |
| Distribution transformers | Replaced within the Schedule I time limit |
| Switchgear | Same rule as transformers |
| Smart meter (AMI) alarms | 100% closed within 8 hours (urban) or 24 hours (rural) |
| Planned interruptions | 48 hours' prior notice |
| Unscheduled outages, large industrial consumers | 30 minutes' advance warning and real-time restoration updates |
The fuse, cable, transformer and switchgear limits sit in Schedule I of the NEPRA notification. This site has not yet confirmed those hours against the final text, so they are not given here. If you need the exact figure for your case, read Schedule I in the NEPRA PDF listed in the sources.
If you have a smart meter, the alarm standard is the one most likely to affect you directly. Our page on smart meters in Pakistan explains how AMI metering works.
The "Rs 50 a day" claim
Some outlets reported a figure of Rs 50 per day for missing the fuse deadline, alongside specific hour limits for urban and rural customers. One report presented the rules as taking effect immediately without mentioning the two-year delay on Regulation 13.
NEPRA's 2024 draft did show Rs 50 a day for one meter-related service. But a draft is not the final law, and this site has not verified any per-day amount against the final Schedule I. Other figures circulating for new connections come from blogs, not from NEPRA.
Even if a figure turns out to be correct, it cannot be paid to you now, because the clause that creates the payment is not yet in force.
What NEPRA can do today: fines
Fines are separate from compensation and they are available now. The regulations say breaking any provision "shall render the distribution licensee liable to the imposition of a fine". NEPRA can impose it under the NEPRA Act and the NEPRA (Fine) Regulations, 2021.
A fine goes to the regulator, not to you. But a well-documented complaint that shows a company missing a deadline gives NEPRA the evidence it needs to act, and that pressure is the main lever you have until compensation starts.
Other changes that affect households
Complaint centres closer to you
The new standards require complaint centres at circle level, with escalation up to DISCO management, instead of relying only on the existing centralised network.
Performance judged locally
NEPRA will assess companies at company, circle, division and sub-division level. A company can no longer hide a badly performing area behind a good company-wide average.
Load shedding in a regulatory framework
The regulations also bring load shedding into a more structured framework. A scheduled load-shedding slot is not the same as a fault: it is planned, published in advance and handled differently. Before reporting an outage as a fault, check your company's schedule using our load-shedding page.
What to do when a fault is not fixed
No compensation procedure exists yet, so the useful steps are about getting the fault fixed and building a record.
- Report it to your company. Call the 118 helpline or contact your circle complaint centre. Write down the complaint number, the date and the time you reported it.
- Keep a log. Note when the line staff arrive, when supply is restored or the meter is replaced, and any reference numbers you are given. Photos of a damaged meter or transformer help.
- Escalate in writing if the deadline passes. A written complaint to your sub-division or circle office creates a dated record. Our complaint letter tool gives you a ready-to-send letter in English or Urdu that you can adapt.
- Take it to NEPRA if the company does not act. NEPRA can fine the company under Regulation 12 and the Fine Regulations 2021. The steps for lodging a complaint with NEPRA are the same as for a billing dispute, set out in our guide to filing an electricity complaint.
Keeping this record now costs you nothing. If NEPRA later publishes a claim procedure, you will understand what evidence matters, though there is no guarantee that delays before Regulation 13 starts will be covered.
Watch for fake compensation links
Expect messages on WhatsApp and social media offering a "NEPRA compensation refund" or telling you to "claim Rs 50 a day". None of these are real. There is no claim portal, and the compensation clause is not in force.
Any link that asks for your CNIC, reference number or bank details to claim compensation should be treated as a scam. It follows the same pattern as the fake subsidy QR codes that spread earlier this year, described in our guide to spotting fake electricity bill QR codes.
Does this cover K-Electric?
This has not been confirmed. The reporting and NEPRA text reviewed here refer to distribution companies generally, but how the regulations apply to K-Electric customers in Karachi has not been verified. If you are a K-Electric customer, check with K-Electric or NEPRA directly before relying on any of the standards above.
What to do next
- Next time your supply fails, report it on 118 or to your circle complaint centre and record the complaint number and time.
- Check whether an outage is a scheduled load-shedding slot before treating it as a fault.
- If a repair or meter replacement overruns, send a written complaint and keep a copy.
- Escalate unresolved cases to NEPRA, which can fine the company now.
- Ignore any link or message offering to process a compensation claim, and do not share your CNIC or bill details with it.
- Check NEPRA's website closer to August 2028 for the start of Regulation 13 and any claim procedure.
Sources
- NEPRA Performance Standards (Distribution) Regulations 2026, SRO 1430(I)/2026
- NEPRA Draft Performance Standards (Distribution) Regulations 2024 (draft, for context only)
- Dawn: Performance standards for distribution companies notified
- Business Recorder: FPCCI welcomes NEPRA PSDR 2026
- The News: Nepra tightens grip on power distribution with new performance rules
- BOL News: NEPRA orders cash payouts to power consumers for slow repairs (cited only as an example of the misleading claim)