Government Considers Ending 200-Unit Limit for Subsidised Electricity Tariffs

Energy Minister Awais Leghari says the government is reviewing rules that can trigger higher electricity bills for six months when consumption exceeds 200 units.

The government is considering changes to the 200-unit electricity consumption threshold used to determine eligibility for subsidised tariffs, Federal Minister for Energy Awais Leghari has said.

Under the existing billing arrangement described by the minister, consumers who exceed 200 units in a month, even by a single unit, can lose protected status and face higher electricity charges for six months. The government is reviewing this mechanism to address the impact on household bills.

Leghari said some financially well-off consumers were installing solar systems to keep their grid electricity consumption below 200 units and qualify for subsidised rates available to protected consumers.

He added that around 20 million electricity consumers used less than 200 units, raising concerns about the scale of subsidies provided under the current arrangement.

The government is examining whether to remove the threshold or revise the rules governing protected consumers. However, no final policy change has been announced, and the existing eligibility criteria remain subject to official decisions.

Any revision could affect how electricity subsidies are allocated and how consumers are classified under the tariff structure. The government has yet to clarify what alternative eligibility rules may replace the current 200-unit threshold.