The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) took notice on Friday of the overbilling of power consumers.

"The power consumers had lodged complaints in large numbers against the faulty electricity metre reading. Generally, in the complaints, the power consumers complained about the blurry picture of the metre reading and the wrong date on the bills," said the NEPRA in a statement today.

According to the NEPRA, the authority summoned the discos' CEOs on September 12 (Tuesday) on the complaints of the power consumers.

– NEPRA upset over request for raise in electricity prices –

Few days back, the NEPRA expressed anguish over the request for an increase in electricity prices. It could not be satisfied over the statistics presented by the CPPA officials.

The authority was hearing a request of the distribution companies to increase the price of electricity by Rs2.07 per unit.

The NEPRA chairman remarked that the burden of incorrect statistics or technical issues could not be put on the masses.

The technical issues would be looked at separately. The authority will look at the statistics and then make a decision.

NEPRA said the decision will be announced later.

The addition will be applicable to government distribution companies as monthly fuel price adjustment. In case of approval, there will be an additional burden of Rs35 billion on electricity consumers.

The authority had taken notice of the violation of merit order of the power plants, and sought an explanation from the NPCC and NTDC. The authority asked what measures were taken to secure the system.

NEPRA said the price of coal has decreased in the international market.

The CPPA officials said the country still has expensive coal purchased previously. Due to system overloading, the power plants running on expensive furnace oil have to be operated, they added.

Only by running the expensive plants in July, an additional burden of Rs1.50 billion had to be endured.

The CPPA had requested for a reduction in the increase to Rs1.58. Electricity sales had increased in July as compared to the last year, CPPA official said.