How to read your electricity bill (LESCO, IESCO, K-Electric and others)
Work it out with the LESCO bill calculator →
An electricity bill is built from four parts: an energy charge on the units you used, a fixed charge on your sanctioned load, NEPRA’s monthly and quarterly adjustments, and 18% GST on top. In 2026 LESCO, IESCO, K-Electric and every other company charge homes the same rates, so the same method works on any bill. The thing that matters most is whether you are a protected or unprotected consumer, because that decides your rate per unit.
What each line on the bill means
- Reference or account number: a 14-digit reference number on ex-WAPDA company bills, and an account number on K-Electric bills. You need it to view your bill online or lodge a complaint.
- Tariff and sanctioned load: a home connection is tariff A-1. The sanctioned load in kW sets your fixed charge. Connections of 5 kW or more are billed on a separate peak and off-peak tariff.
- Units: present reading minus previous reading gives this month’s units. If your bill shows an MF (multiplying factor) other than 1, the difference is multiplied by it. A reading taken a few days late also adds units.
- Energy charges (cost of electricity): units × the slab rate, see the table below.
- Fixed charges: a monthly amount for each kW of sanctioned load, even if you use no units. Lifeline consumers pay no fixed charge but have a minimum charge of Rs 75 a month.
- Fuel price adjustment (FPA or FCA): an amount per unit that NEPRA sets every month from the actual fuel cost. It can be negative.
- Quarterly tariff adjustment (QTA): applied every three months with NEPRA’s approval, reflecting changes in generation and operating costs in that quarter.
- GST: 18% on the total of energy, fixed and adjustment charges. The Sales Tax Act has no exemption for residential or lifeline consumers.
- Income tax: charged only when the monthly bill is Rs 25,000 or more and your name is not on the Active Taxpayers List. The rate is 7.5%. See how to become a filer.
- Electricity duty and PTV fee: in mid-2025 the federal government announced that the PTV fee would be removed from electricity bills and that provincial electricity duty would no longer be collected through them. We could not find the official notification, and K-Electric’s own bill guide still lists electricity duty among government charges. Check the tax section of your bill, and if either charge still appears, ask your company.
- Arrears: unpaid amounts from earlier bills. The bill shows the amount payable by the due date and a higher amount after it, which includes a late payment surcharge.
Protected, unprotected and lifeline consumers
A protected consumer is one who used 200 units or less in each of the last six months. They pay slab by slab: the first 100 units at the first rate and the next 100 at the second. An unprotected consumer pays the rate of the slab they reach on all their units. These rates are from S.R.O. 279(I)/2026 (effective 12 February 2026), before fuel adjustment and GST:
| Units per month | Rate per unit | Fixed charge per kW |
|---|---|---|
| Lifeline (up to 100 units) | ||
| 1 to 50 | Rs 3.95 | None |
| 51 to 100 | Rs 7.74 | None |
| Protected | ||
| 1 to 100 | Rs 10.54 | Rs 200 |
| 101 to 200 | Rs 13.01 | Rs 300 |
| Unprotected | ||
| 1 to 100 | Rs 22.44 | Rs 275 |
| 101 to 200 | Rs 28.91 | Rs 300 |
| 201 to 300 | Rs 33.1 | Rs 350 |
| 301 to 400 | Rs 36.46 | Rs 400 |
| 401 to 500 | Rs 38.95 | Rs 500 |
| 501 to 600 | Rs 40.22 | Rs 675 |
| 601 to 700 | Rs 41.85 | Rs 675 |
| 701 and above | Rs 47.2 | Rs 675 |
Worked example: 350 units, 3 kW load
An unprotected consumer used 350 units this month and has a sanctioned load of 3 kW. 350 units falls in the 301 to 400 slab, so every unit is charged at Rs 36.46:
| Energy charges (350 × Rs 36.46) | Rs 12,761 |
| Fixed charges (3 kW × Rs 400) | Rs 1,200 |
| GST (18%) | Rs 2,513 |
| Total (before FPA) | Rs 16,474 |
|---|
If that month’s FPA were, say, Rs 1 per unit, it would add Rs 350 plus GST on it, taking the bill to about Rs 16,887. The real FPA changes every month, so read it from your bill. Run the same sum with your own units in the electricity bill calculator.
Why the 200-unit line matters
At 3 kW load, a protected consumer using 200 units pays about Rs 3,841. One more unit, 201, makes them unprotected and the bill becomes about Rs 9,090. They also lose protected status for the next six months. If you are close to 200 units in summer, watching the meter is the most valuable habit you can have.
How to check your bill online
- LESCO, IESCO, FESCO, GEPCO, MEPCO, PESCO, HESCO, SEPCO, QESCO and TESCO: open PITC’s official bill site bill.pitc.com.pk, choose your company and enter the 14-digit reference number or customer ID. You can view and print a duplicate bill there.
- K-Electric: get a duplicate bill on the K-Electric website or the KE Live app with your account number, which K-Electric calls the most important reference on the bill.
- When the bill arrives, compare the present reading printed on it with your meter. If they differ, take a dated photo of the meter and take it to your company.
How to use fewer units
- The AC is usually the biggest cost. K-Electric’s consumption calculator lists a regular AC at 2,000 W and an inverter AC at 1,200 W. At 8 hours a day that is 480 and 288 units a month. Work out your own home in the appliance units calculator.
- Switch the AC off when nobody is home, and seal gaps around doors and windows so cool air does not leak out.
- Use LED or energy saver bulbs, switch off lights you do not need and use the fridge efficiently. These tips are from PITC’s save electricity advice.
- Run the water motor, iron and washing machine only as needed, not all together.
- If most of your use is in the daytime, see what solar could save in the solar system calculator, and read our guide to net metering and net billing for the new rules.
Common mistakes
- Dividing the total by units and calling it the rate. The total includes fixed charges, adjustments and tax, so it comes out well above the slab rate.
- Keeping a higher sanctioned load than you need. The fixed charge is per kW, whether you use that load or not.
- Ignoring arrears. The old amount and surcharge keep rolling into the next bill.
- Paying income tax as a filer. If your bill is over Rs 25,000 and you are on the Active Taxpayers List, ask your company to remove it.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my bill jump when I used only a few more units?
Unprotected consumers pay one rate on all their units, set by the slab they reach. Crossing 200 units also ends protected status. At 3 kW load, 200 units as a protected consumer comes to about Rs 3,841, while 201 units comes to about Rs 9,090 before any fuel adjustment.
Is the LESCO rate different from IESCO or K-Electric?
No. The government’s uniform tariff (S.R.O. 279(I)/2026) gives the same residential rates and fixed charges to all ex-WAPDA companies, and K-Electric says its tariff is the same as theirs. Bills differ only because of usage, sanctioned load and the monthly and quarterly adjustments.
What is the 14-digit reference number?
It is the number that identifies your connection on LESCO, IESCO, MEPCO and the other ex-WAPDA bills. You need it to see a duplicate bill on the PITC bill website. K-Electric uses an account number instead.
Why is there income tax on my electricity bill?
Under section 235 of the Income Tax Ordinance, a domestic consumer whose monthly bill is Rs 25,000 or more pays 7.5% advance tax, unless their name is on FBR’s Active Taxpayers List. Bills under Rs 25,000 carry no income tax. If you are a filer and still see it, ask your DISCO to update your status.
Can the fuel adjustment reduce my bill?
Yes. NEPRA sets the FPA each month from the actual fuel cost of an earlier month, and it can be negative, which shows as a deduction on the bill.
Calculators for this guide
- LESCO bill calculatorEstimate your LESCO electricity bill from units consumed, with the 2026 NEPRA slab rates, fixed charges, fuel adjustment and GST.
- Appliance units calculatorWork out how many units your AC, fridge, motor, iron and other appliances use each month, and what they add to your bill.
- Solar size & paybackFind the kW solar system you need from your monthly units, its cost, monthly savings and payback period under net billing.
Sources
- Ministry of Energy S.R.O. 279(I)/2026 notifying NEPRA’s uniform tariff (12 February 2026), Annex-B-1 and Annex-C
- Sales Tax Act 1990, section 3(1), as amended up to 30 June 2026 (18% sales tax)
- Income Tax Ordinance 2001 (amended up to 30 June 2026): section 235 and First Schedule Part IV, Division IV
- K-Electric: Know Your Bill (FCA, QTA, government charges, account number)
- PITC Web Bill: duplicate bills for LESCO, IESCO, FESCO, GEPCO, MEPCO, PESCO, HESCO, SEPCO, QESCO and TESCO
- Appliance wattages: K-Electric Energy Consumption Calculator (ke.com.pk), as used in our appliance units calculator
This guide explains the rules for general information. It is not official, legal or tax advice. Rules change, so check the official source or a qualified professional before acting. See how we check our information.