LESCO (Lahore Electric Supply Company) serves one of the largest customer bases in Pakistan, covering Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib. Because so many households in these districts use air conditioners during long summers, LESCO bills often jump sharply between May and September. Understanding how the bill is built helps you spot whether an increase comes from your own consumption, from a slab change, or from adjustments and taxes that apply to everyone.
This guide explains each part of a LESCO bill step by step. Exact per-unit rates are revised by NEPRA and the federal government from time to time, so always compare with the latest official tariff notification before relying on any figure.
Step 1: Check your meter readings and units
Every LESCO bill shows a previous reading, a present reading and the difference between them, which is your units consumed for the month. If the reading date is late (for example 33 or 35 days instead of about 30), you may see more units than usual, which can push you into a higher slab. Compare the present reading on your bill with the actual reading on your meter. If the bill shows more units than your meter, take a photo of the meter and contact your LESCO sub-division.
Step 2: Identify your tariff category
Most homes are billed under the residential tariff (A-1). Shops and offices are billed under commercial tariff (A-2), and there are separate tariffs for industry, agriculture and bulk supply. Within residential tariff there are two important groups:
- Protected consumers: households that used 200 units or less in each of the previous six months. They pay lower rates for the first 100 and 101–200 unit slabs.
- Non-protected consumers: everyone else. If you cross 200 units even once, you can lose protected status for the next six months, which makes a big difference to the bill.
This is why many LESCO consumers try hard to stay under 200 units in winter months.
Step 3: Calculate the cost of electricity
The cost of electricity line is your units multiplied by the slab rate(s) for your category. For lower slabs the rates are applied step by step. For higher non-protected slabs, the rate of the slab you fall into can apply to a large part of your consumption, so moving from 199 to 201 units, or from 300 to 301 units, can increase the bill by much more than the cost of a few units. Fixed charges may also apply depending on your sanctioned load and category.
Step 4: Add adjustments (FPA and QTA)
- FPA (Fuel Price Adjustment): a monthly adjustment determined by NEPRA based on the actual cost of fuel used to generate electricity in an earlier month. It can be positive (extra charge) or negative (refund) and is calculated on the units of the reference month.
- QTA (Quarterly Tariff Adjustment): a quarterly adjustment reflecting changes in capacity payments, transmission costs and other costs. It is applied per unit for a set period.
Lifeline and some protected consumers may be exempted from some adjustments according to government decisions, so check the notification that applies to your category.
Step 5: Taxes and government charges
After the electricity charges, the bill adds government levies. Common items include:
- GST (General Sales Tax) on the taxable electricity value.
- Income tax / further tax for commercial consumers above specified bill amounts, and extra tax for consumers not on the Active Taxpayer List (mainly commercial and industrial).
- Electricity duty was a provincial levy collected through bills; the federal government announced it would stop collecting it through electricity bills from July 2025.
- PTV fee was also removed from electricity bills in 2025.
If you still see these lines on a current bill, compare it with the latest notification or ask your sub-division.
Step 6: Arrears, installments and late-payment surcharge
Unpaid amounts from earlier months appear as arrears. If you pay after the due date, a late payment surcharge (LPS) is added. Installments for old balances or deferred adjustments may also be shown separately. Always check the payable within due date and payable after due date amounts.
A simple example
Suppose a non-protected residential consumer uses 250 units. The cost of electricity is calculated using the rate for that slab, then FPA and QTA are added (or subtracted) per unit, then GST is calculated on the taxable amount. Fixed items and arrears are added at the end. The same household using 195 units for six months in a row could qualify as protected and pay noticeably less per unit.
Tips to reduce your LESCO bill
- Track your meter weekly in summer so you can control usage before crossing a slab.
- Use inverter ACs at 26°C and keep filters clean.
- Avoid running heavy appliances (iron, water pump, washing machine) during peak hours if you have a time-of-use meter.
- Check your sanctioned load and tariff category on the bill; a wrong category means wrong rates.
Where to check the official bill
You can view and download a duplicate LESCO bill on the official PITC portal using your 14-digit reference number. Use our bill checker to open the correct official page. For complaints, call 118 or visit your LESCO customer service centre.