Peak hours are the evening window when electricity costs more if you are on a Time-of-Use (TOU) meter. In Pakistan these peak hours generally fall in the evening, roughly 6pm to 11pm, and shift a little by season and by distribution company. If you have a TOU (also called a bi-directional or smart) meter, units used during peak hours are charged at a higher rate than off-peak units, so shifting heavy usage to off-peak hours can noticeably cut your electricity bill. This guide explains how TOU billing works, when peak hours apply, and how to check your own bill online.
What is a Time-of-Use (TOU) meter?
A standard meter records only how many units you use, and charges every unit at your slab rate no matter when you used it. A Time-of-Use meter records when you use electricity and splits your consumption into two buckets:
- Peak units: used during the evening peak window, charged at a higher rate.
- Off-peak units: used during the rest of the day, charged at a lower rate.
Only consumers who actually have a TOU meter installed get this split billing. Most ordinary domestic connections on a single flat rate are not affected by peak and off-peak timings. If your bill shows separate "Peak" and "Off-Peak" unit lines, you are on TOU.
When are peak hours in Pakistan?
Peak hours are set by your DISCO and are usually in the evening, when nationwide demand is highest. As a rough guide, peak hours commonly run from around 6pm to 11pm in summer and shift slightly earlier in winter. Everything outside that window is off-peak.
Because the exact timings change with the season and can differ between companies, do not rely on a fixed schedule you read online. The authoritative timings are printed on your own bill and published by your distribution company. If your bill separates peak and off-peak units, the applicable hours will be stated there.
Why peak hours make your bill higher
The peak rate exists to discourage everyone from switching on heavy appliances at the same evening hours. For TOU consumers, peak units can cost meaningfully more than off-peak units, so the same appliance running at 9pm can cost more than running it at 2pm.
This is one of the reasons an evening-heavy household sees a larger bill even when total units look normal. If you want the full picture of what pushes bills up, see our guide on why your bill is high this summer.
How to cut your bill if you are on TOU
You cannot avoid the peak rate, but you can move usage out of the peak window. Practical steps:
- Run big loads off-peak. Washing machines, dishwashers, water pumps, irons and electric geysers are best used before the evening peak or late at night.
- Pre-cool earlier. Cool rooms in the late afternoon so air conditioners run less during peak hours.
- Charge in the day. Charge EVs, UPS batteries and power banks during off-peak hours.
- Shift chores. Bulk cooking, ironing and cleaning are cheaper before the peak window starts.
Even without a TOU meter, reducing overall units always helps. Our Urdu guide on bijli ka bill kam kaise karein lists simple habits that lower any bill.
How to check your electricity bill online
You do not need to know your meter type to read your bill. You only need your 14-digit reference number, printed on any past bill.
- Open the eBill Pakistan homepage.
- Pick your distribution company, for example IESCO or FESCO.
- Enter your 14-digit reference number.
- View the amount payable, due date and units, then download or print the bill.
It is free, there is no sign-up, and the site does not process payments. If your bill shows peak and off-peak units and the split looks wrong, you can raise it with your DISCO on the national complaint helpline 118.
Roman Urdu: khulasa
Peak hours woh shaam ke ghantay hain jab bijli mehngi hoti hai, agar aap ke paas Time-of-Use (TOU) meter hai. Aam tor par yeh taqreeban 6pm se 11pm tak hote hain aur mausam ke sath thora badalte hain. TOU meter par peak units ka rate zyada aur off-peak ka kam hota hai.
Agar aap ka meter aam (flat rate) hai to peak/off-peak ka farq aap par lagoo nahi hota. Yeh farq sirf un logon par lagta hai jin ke bill par "Peak" aur "Off-Peak" units alag likhi hoti hain.
Bill kam karne ka tareeqa: washing machine, geyser, pump aur iron peak se pehle ya raat gaye chalayein, aur AC ke kamron ko shaam se pehle thanda kar lein. Apna bill dekhne ke liye homepage par jaayein, apni company chunein, 14-digit reference number daalein aur bill download karein — bilkul muft.
Check your bill now
Whether you are on a TOU or a flat meter, reading your bill is simple. Enter your reference number on the eBill Pakistan homepage or go straight to your DISCO page such as LESCO or MEPCO to view, print or download your latest bill in seconds.