Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday formally launched the ‘Power Smart’ mobile app as part of the ‘Apna Meter, Apni Reading’ initiative aimed at promoting transparency in electricity billing.
The new app enables citizens to take a photograph of their electricity meter on a specified date and upload it to the app, with their monthly bill generated based on this image. In a statement, the Power Division said that any image uploaded by a citizen on the designated due date would be prioritized over any reading taken later by a utility employee.
“This is not just a technology feature but a solid reform in governance, which truly empowers consumers,” read the statement. “With this system, consumers will not only be able to keep an eye on their bill, but now they will also be the guardians of the reading process,” it added.
Officials say this will particularly benefit protected consumers, as there have been repeated complaints of a household losing its protected status because its meter reading was delayed.
At launch, the Power Smart application is available in five languages to improve accessibility across provinces. “Meter readers’ mechanism has now been handed over to consumers through the developed app,” said Energy Minister Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, adding consumers could download the app from both Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
During his address, the prime minister also announced the removal of the Rs. 35/month Pakistan Television (PTV) fee from electricity bills. The move is aimed at reducing utility bills, he said, though critics have questioned how the state-run broadcaster would be able to fund its operations without this tax.
He vowed that his government would continue to support renewable energy through solar power, stressing it was an inexpensive means of producing electricity. “Pakistan is among the few countries where the solarization process is rapidly taking place,” he said, while admitting that the government must address the widening gap between high electricity production capacity and lower grid consumption due to solar adoption.
Ongoing reforms
Sharif noted the government is striving to improve the power sector, pointing to merit-based appointments on the boards of power distribution companies to curb corruption. He said the government had reduced electricity tariffs by Rs. 7.5/unit after negotiations with independent power producers (IPPs), adding there was still a “long way to go.”
According to the prime minister, the government has settled the circular debt issue after negotiations with banks. However, he added, power theft remains a major challenge and is costing country an estimated Rs. 500 billion in losses annually.
Sharif emphasized that the government remains committed to reducing electricity bills for both industrial and household consumers. He urged the Power Division to raise awareness about the app, maintaining it would benefit every consumer.