📋 SRO 279(I)/2026Effective 12 February 2026 · NEPRA verified · Updated September 2026
Electricity Bill Calculator Pakistan 2026 — NEPRA Slab Rates, Fixed Charges & Every Line Decoded
Quick Answer — 2026 Domestic Slab Rates (SRO 279)
Protected consumers (under 200 units for 6 consecutive months): Rs 10.54/unit (1–100) and Rs 13.01/unit (101–200).
Unprotected consumers (most households): Rs 22.44 → Rs 47.20 per unit depending on your slab.
The critical rule: crossing 200 units reprices ALL units that month at the higher rate — not just the extras. One unit above 200 can cost you Rs 3,000–3,500 extra on top of a protected bill.
These are base energy rates only. Add the fixed monthly charge (new in 2026), FC Surcharge (Rs 3.23/unit), FAC, GST, and provincial Electricity Duty to get your actual bill. The bill calculator tool above applies all of these automatically.
What SRO 279(I)/2026 Changed — The Legal Instrument Behind Your 2026 Bill
Your 2026 electricity bill is governed by S.R.O. 279(I)/2026, a Statutory Regulatory Order issued by the Ministry of Energy on 12 February 2026. An SRO is the legal instrument the federal government uses to bring a NEPRA determination into force. Before this SRO, older slab rates from 2023 and 2024 applied. If you are comparing your 2026 bills against a rate table you found online and the figures do not match, the most likely reason is that the page still shows pre-February 2026 rates.
SRO 279 made three specific changes that appear directly on your bill:
Restructured slab rates. The top-end rates were adjusted. Figures you may still see on older sites — Rs 47.69, Rs 42.76, Rs 41.62 per unit — are superseded. The current ceiling is Rs 47.20 per unit (above 700 units).
Added a per-kilowatt fixed monthly charge. New from February 2026: every household now pays a fixed charge per kW of their sanctioned load, every month, regardless of how many units they consume. This charge appears even in months when consumption is low — it does not depend on units used. Lifeline consumers are exempt; everyone else pays it.
Kept landing-slab billing for unprotected consumers. Unprotected consumers continue to be billed on landing-slab terms — when your total crosses into a new slab, ALL units that month reprice at the new rate. Protected consumers retain the telescopic previous-slab benefit (first 100 units charged at the lower rate, next 100 at the higher rate). This asymmetry is the most financially important difference between the two statuses.
NEPRA's base tariff for 2026: Rs 33.38 per unit — the national average across all consumer classes, issued 7 January 2026 (Rs 0.62 lower than the previous Rs 34.00). This is a weighted average across lifeline, protected, commercial, and industrial consumers. Most domestic households pay well below this on a protected tariff and above it on an unprotected tariff. Do not use Rs 33.38 to estimate your individual bill — it is a sector-average figure, not your household rate.
Pakistan Electricity Slab Rates 2026 — Verified Against SRO 279
These are the per-unit energy rates from S.R.O. 279(I)/2026, cross-checked against NEPRA's determination and multiple DISCO tariff pages. They apply identically to MEPCO, LESCO, FESCO, GEPCO, IESCO, PESCO, HESCO, SEPCO, QESCO, TESCO, and HAZECO consumers. K-Electric consumers in Karachi are on a slightly different schedule under a separate NEPRA filing.
Lifeline Consumer (1–50 units)
Units | Rate (Rs/unit) | Fixed Charge | GST | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1–50 units | Rs 3.95/unit | Exempt — minimum charge Rs 75 (single-phase) or Rs 150 (three-phase) applies instead if energy charge falls below it | Exempt | Lowest-income households only. Must stay at or below 50 units every month to retain lifeline status |
Protected Consumer (101–200 units — 6 Consecutive Months Rule)
Units | Rate (Rs/unit) | Fixed Charge (per kW sanctioned load) | Telescopic? |
|---|---|---|---|
1–100 units | Rs 10.54 | Rs 200/kW | Yes — first 100 at this rate, next 100 at rate below |
101–200 units | Rs 13.01 | Rs 300/kW | Yes — first 100 at Rs 10.54, units 101–200 at Rs 13.01 |
Protected telescopic example — 2 kW connection, 200 units: Energy = (100 × Rs 10.54) + (100 × Rs 13.01) = Rs 1,054 + Rs 1,301 = Rs 2,355. Fixed charge = 2 × Rs 300 = Rs 600. Total before FC Surcharge, FAC, and taxes: Rs 2,955. This is the protected consumer's last month before crossing.
Unprotected Consumer (Most Pakistani Households)
Slab | Rate (Rs/unit) | Fixed Charge (per kW) | Telescopic? | Total at top of slab (2 kW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1–100 units | Rs 22.44 | Rs 275/kW | NO — ALL units at landing rate | Rs 2,244 + Rs 550 = Rs 2,794 |
101–200 units | Rs 28.91 | Rs 275/kW | Rs 5,782 + Rs 550 = Rs 6,332 | |
201–300 units | Rs 33.10 | Rs 350/kW | Rs 9,930 + Rs 700 = Rs 10,630 | |
301–400 units | Rs 36.46 | Rs 350/kW | Rs 14,584 + Rs 700 = Rs 15,284 | |
401–500 units | Rs 38.95 | Rs 475/kW | Rs 19,475 + Rs 950 = Rs 20,425 | |
501–600 units | Rs 40.22 | Rs 475/kW | Rs 24,132 + Rs 950 = Rs 25,082 | |
601–700 units | Rs 41.85 | Rs 675/kW | Rs 29,295 + Rs 1,350 = Rs 30,645 | |
Above 700 units | Rs 47.20 | Rs 675/kW | All units at Rs 47.20 — every unit from unit 1 |
Fixed charge is on top of energy charges — not included in the "per unit" rate. At 201–300 units with a 2 kW sanctioned load, you pay Rs 350 × 2 = Rs 700 in fixed charges every month, in addition to the Rs 33.10 × 300 = Rs 9,930 energy charge. The effective per-unit cost is Rs 9,930 + Rs 700 = Rs 10,630 ÷ 300 = Rs 35.43/unit effective rate — before FC Surcharge, FAC, GST, and Electricity Duty are added.
The 200-Unit Jump — Why One Extra Unit Can Add Rs 3,400 to Your Bill
No single calculation in Pakistani electricity billing matters more than understanding what happens at exactly 200 units. Two households with nearly identical consumption — 200 units and 201 units — receive bills that can differ by Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500. This is the most misunderstood billing rule in Pakistan.
✅ Safe — 200 Units (Protected, 2 kW)Rs 3,907Energy + Fixed charge (before FC Sur, FAC, taxes)
Telescopic billing: (100 × Rs 10.54) + (100 × Rs 13.01) = Rs 2,355 energy. Fixed: 2 kW × Rs 300 = Rs 600. Subtotal: Rs 2,955.
❌ One Extra Unit — 201 Units (Unprotected)Rs 7,300+ALL 201 units reprice at Rs 33.10 (201–300 slab)
Landing-slab: 201 × Rs 33.10 = Rs 6,653 energy. Fixed: 2 kW × Rs 350 = Rs 700. Subtotal: Rs 7,353. Difference from 200 units: Rs 3,446 — for one extra unit.
What makes this devastating is the 6-month lock-in. Cross 200 units in any single billing month and you lose protected status not just for that month — but for the next 6 consecutive months, regardless of how low your consumption drops. You must stay at or under 200 units for 6 full months in a row to regain protected status.
⏰ The 6-Month Protected Status Lock-In RuleCross 200 units once → pay unprotected rates for 6 months
You cross 200 units in June. NEPRA rules require 6 consecutive months at or below 200 units to qualify as protected. July, August, September, October, November must all be at or below 200 units — only in December do you regain protected status. If you cross again in September, the counter resets. For a household in Lahore, Karachi, or interior Sindh where summers run 5 months, it is practically impossible to recover protected status until winter. Factor in 5 months of unprotected billing when calculating the true cost of crossing the boundary even once.
Track your meter on the 1st and 15th of every month during peak season. By the time your bill arrives, the billing cycle closed 3 to 4 weeks ago. Mid-cycle tracking on the 15th gives you 2 weeks to reduce AC hours, defer washing machine cycles, or turn off appliances before the cycle ends. This is the only actionable intervention point that still works after the month starts.
Every Line on Your Bill Beyond Energy Charges — The Stack That Adds 30–40%
Many Pakistani consumers calculate their expected bill using only the slab rate and are surprised when the actual bill is 30 to 40% higher. The difference is the stack of charges added on top of the base energy cost. Each line has a different legal basis, set by a different authority.
⚡ Fixed Monthly Charge (New 2026)
Rs 200–675 per kW of your sanctioned load per month, set by which slab your month lands in. On a 2 kW connection in the 201–300 slab: Rs 350 × 2 = Rs 700 monthly. Applies even at zero consumption. Appears on bill before energy charges.
Set by: SRO 279(I)/2026 — NEPRA. Lifeline exempt.
🔧 FC Surcharge (Financing Cost)
Rs 3.23 per unit on all slabs except lifeline. Earmarked for power-sector debt repayment. Appears as "FC SUR" on your bill. Applied to every unit consumed — adds Rs 323 on a 100-unit bill, Rs 969 on a 300-unit bill.
Set by: Federal Government. Fixed — not variable monthly.
⛽ FAC / FPA (Fuel Adjustment Charge)
Monthly variable — can be positive or negative. NEPRA notifies it based on actual fuel costs 2 months prior. Ranges from negative credits to Rs 6+ per unit in high-demand months. The single biggest reason your bill varies month-to-month with the same unit consumption. Check the FPA Tracker.
Set by: NEPRA — monthly. GST applies on top.
📉 QTA (Quarterly Tariff Adjustment)
A quarterly true-up — can be a credit or a charge. June–August 2026: NEPRA applied a credit of Rs 1.9857 per unit (approximately Rs 67 billion quarterly true-up). This is why June–August 2026 bills were lower than the slab rates alone would suggest. Check your bill for this line — it should be negative (a credit) in Jun–Aug 2026.
Set by: NEPRA — quarterly. Changes each quarter.
🏗️ NJ Surcharge (Neelum-Jhelum)
Rs 0.10 to Rs 0.35 per unit — earmarked for the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project. Fixed rate, applies to all consumers except lifeline. Appears on bills across all 11 DISCOs. Not a billing error.
Set by: Federal Government. Fixed.
🏛️ Electricity Duty (Provincial)
Set by each province separately — approximately 1.5% in Punjab, different rates in Sindh, KP, and Balochistan. Applied to energy charges. GST does NOT stack on this line. If your bill shows GST calculated on top of Electricity Duty, that is a billing error — file a complaint.
Set by: Provincial government. Province-specific rate.
🧾 GST 17%
Applied to: energy charges + FAC + NJ Surcharge + FC Surcharge. NOT applied to: PTV fee, Fixed Monthly Charge, or Electricity Duty. Lifeline consumers exempt. On a Rs 10,000 energy base, GST adds Rs 1,700. This is the largest single tax on your bill.
Set by: FBR. Standard rate 17%.
📺 PTV Licence Fee
Rs 35 flat for domestic consumers, Rs 60 for commercial. No GST on this line. Same amount for every consumer in Pakistan, regardless of DISCO, province, or consumption level. Appears on your bill even if you do not own a television.
Set by: Federal — PTV Corporation. Fixed nationwide.
Three Worked Bill Examples — From 150 Units to 400 Units
These examples use August 2026 figures: QTA credit of Rs 1.9857/unit, FPA of approximately Rs 0.33/unit (from May fuel adjustment), FC Surcharge of Rs 3.23/unit, Punjab Electricity Duty of approximately 1.5%, and GST of 17%. Fixed charge based on a 2 kW single-phase connection.
Example 1 — Protected Consumer, 150 Units, 2 kW Connection
Example 2 — Unprotected Consumer, 300 Units, 2 kW Connection
Effective per-unit cost on a 300-unit unprotected bill: Rs 43.82 — compared to the printed slab rate of Rs 33.10. The gap (Rs 10.72/unit) is the fixed charge spread over units, plus the FC Surcharge, minus QTA credit, plus GST and duty. This is why your bill per unit always looks higher than the rate table. Use the calculator tool to see the exact breakdown for your consumption.
Example 3 — The Rs 25,000 Income Tax Threshold (Section 235)
Sources & Verification
NEPRA — National Electric Power Regulatory Authority — S.R.O. 279(I)/2026 (12 February 2026); national average tariff Rs 33.38/unit determination (7 January 2026); monthly FAC notifications; consumer complaint portal
eBillPakistan.pk — Pakistan Electricity Tariff 2026 — Exact per-unit rates from SRO 279 cross-checked against IESCO tariff guide and K-Electric annex; landing-slab mechanics; 200-unit jump analysis
BijliBills.com — NEPRA Tariff 2026 Explained — Fixed charge per kW rates by slab; QTA credit Rs 1.9857/unit June–August 2026; Rs 67 billion quarterly true-up
BijliBills.com — 200 Units Bill Pakistan August 2026 — Worked example Rs 3,907 protected vs Rs 9,175 unprotected at exact 200/201 unit boundary
BijliBills.com — IESCO Bill Calculator — August 2026 FPA Rs 0.3364; SRO 279 fixed charge Rs 350/kW (201–300 slab); 2 kW worked example
Tariff rates, FAC figures, QTA credits, and surcharges change regu