Rs 93,888. That was the extra charge on the June 2024 MEPCO bill of a 1 kW commercial connection in Alipur, Muzaffargarh. The line said "data downloading units". The consumer said there was no warning. He went to NEPRA, and NEPRA told MEPCO to withdraw it.
Not every detection bill ends like that. Some are correct, and the consumer must pay. Below are five real NEPRA decisions on MEPCO detection bills. Each one shows a rule you can use on your own bill. Names are left out; the figures come from the decisions.
Five case files from MEPCO areas
| Case | Area | What MEPCO charged | NEPRA result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alipur, Muzaffargarh | 1,492 units (Rs 93,888) from meter data | Withdrawn |
| 2 | Dera Ghazi Khan district | 409 units for Jan-Mar 2024 | Withdrawn |
| 3 | Mailsi, Vehari | 49,150 units (Rs 1,946,193) for 6 months | Recalculated |
| 4 | Dera Ghazi Khan district | 745 units (Rs 33,813) for Mar-May 2024 | Upheld |
| 5 | Sadiqabad, Rahim Yar Khan | 1,009 units from meter data | Upheld |
Case 1: the blank meter screen
In April 2023 the meter display washed out, and MEPCO put a defective code on it. The meter was replaced only in December 2023, about nine months later. Its data was then read in the lab, and 1,492 units were charged.
NEPRA's Multan office (30 Sep 2024) found MEPCO had not followed the display-wash rule in the Consumer Service Manual. Use was also close to the same months of earlier years. Result: withdraw the bill.
Case 2: a detection bill with no lab report
A connection in D.G. Khan district was checked in July 2024. MEPCO charged 409 units for January to March 2024, based on load, because the meter was defective. There was no meter testing (M&T) report.
NEPRA (30 Oct 2024) compared three years of use. 2024 was in line with 2022 and 2023, so there was no sign of lost units. Result: withdraw the bill.
Case 3: theft was real, but the maths was wrong
MEPCO found direct supply taken from a transformer and filed an FIR. It charged 49,150 units for six months at a 50% load factor.
NEPRA (27 Jan 2025) accepted the theft. But MEPCO had jumped straight to the load formula, while the rules put billing history first. The record showed a healthy 7,258 units in December 2021. So NEPRA told MEPCO to charge 7,258 × 6 = 43,548 units, adjust units already billed, and take the balance in six equal installments.
Case 4: the video evidence won
Another D.G. Khan district consumer was charged 745 units (Rs 33,813) for direct theft from the LT line, for March to May 2024.
NEPRA (30 Oct 2024) saw MEPCO's video of the direct connection. Use also went up clearly after the meter was replaced. Result: the bill is valid and must be paid.
Case 5: data read on time
This meter became defective (its display opened) and was replaced on 5 Sep 2024. The lab report of 15 Oct 2024 showed a final reading of 13,106 units, while 12,097 had been billed. So 1,009 units were added in November 2024.
MEPCO charged them within three months of replacing the meter, so NEPRA upheld the bill. A review request was dismissed on 20 Feb 2026.
What the five cases teach
- Your bill history is your best proof. Steady use helped the consumer in cases 1 and 2. A jump after the new meter helped MEPCO in case 4.
- Method order matters. History first, then future undisputed use, and the load formula last (case 3).
- Meter-data bills have a clock. On time, they stand (case 5). Out of process, they fall (case 1).
- Evidence counts. Video, an FIR or a lab report. A bill with none is weak (case 2).
The rule book MEPCO itself publishes
MEPCO's website hosts NEPRA's revised Consumer Service Manual (CSM, November 2025). These parts decide detection bills.
- Direct theft (kunda)
- Up to 6 months for a registered consumer. Up to 12 months for someone with no connection.
- Tampering
- Up to 3 billing cycles for homes, shops and general services (A-1, A-2, A-3). Up to 6 months only with the CEO's approval, or a committee of senior officers he authorises. Other categories: up to 6 billing cycles.
- How units are worked out
- In this order: (1) past billing history, (2) future undisputed use, (3) load × load factor × 730 hours × months. Units already billed must be adjusted.
- Load factor (homes)
- 20% for single phase, 25% for three phase.
- Tampering procedure
- Meter secured in front of you or your representative, a check meter installed, photos or video taken. The SDO sends a notice with 7 days to reply. Only then comes a detection bill, with a 7-day payment notice.
- Display wash
- Average bills for at most 2 months. Meter data must be read and charged after a notice. If it is not read within 3 months of meter replacement (6 months if sent to the maker), your account cannot be debited.
- The bill itself
- A theft detection bill must be separate and show the reason, units, amount, period and taxes.
- Complaint time
- Detection bill complaints must be settled within 15 days.
Got a detection bill? Do this in order
- Read the notice. Note the reason, period, units and load used.
- Reply within 7 days if you got a tampering notice. Reply in writing and keep a received copy.
- Collect proof. Old bills with the 12-month history, payment receipts, photos of your meter and its seals.
- Check the period and method against the rule book above.
- Ask for the review committee. The CSM says you get a personal hearing.
- Log a complaint. MEPCO's "Complaint Cell" link goes to PITC's CCMS (ccms.pitc.com.pk). You can also call 118 or SMS 8118. Keep the complaint number.
- Escalate to NEPRA through its online Complaint Management System if it is not fixed.
Do not ignore a detection bill. MEPCO's FAQ warns that unpaid dues can lead to disconnection.
Short answers
- What is a detection bill in MEPCO?
- MEPCO's FAQ says it is a bill for illegal use of electricity, such as a direct hook (kunda), meter tampering or a slow meter. It covers units MEPCO says were used but not billed.
- For how many months can MEPCO charge a detection bill?
- For direct theft by a registered consumer, up to 6 months. For tampering by a home, shop or general services consumer, up to 3 billing cycles, or 6 months with the CEO's approval. Someone with no connection can be charged up to 12 months.
- Can MEPCO charge a detection bill just because my meter was defective?
- Not on its own. For a defective meter, the CSM allows average bills for up to 2 months, then a replacement. Read data from a display-wash meter can be charged only after a notice and within the time limit. In case 2, NEPRA withdrew a bill with no lab report.
- Where do I complain about a MEPCO detection bill?
- Start with your SDO or XEN office and ask for the review committee. Log it on CCMS or call 118. If it is not fixed, file with NEPRA's online Complaint Management System.
Sources: MEPCO FAQs (detection bill, defective meter) and Introduction on mepco.com.pk; NEPRA revised Consumer Service Manual (November 2025, copy hosted on mepco.com.pk), clauses 4.3.1-4.3.2, 9.1.3, 9.2.1-9.2.5, 10.3.1(g) and Annexure V; NEPRA Consumer Affairs decisions against MEPCO dated 30 Sep 2024, 30 Oct 2024 (two), 27 Jan 2025 and 20 Feb 2026, published on nepra.org.pk; PITC CCMS (ccms.pitc.com.pk). This is general guidance, not legal advice. Last checked: 19 Oct 2026.
