Electricity Bill: Now the bill will be based on the number of units consumed till midnight; Arbitrariness of meter readers will end

Kesco is implementing a new reform to address billing-related complaints. Earlier, bills were generated based on the day the meter reader visited, which often led to complaints of high bills. Meter readers used to generate bills based on a specific date instead of the entire month, which caused problems for consumers. To overcome this, Kesco is now adjusting its billing system.

New billing system

From now on, Kesco will calculate the bill based on the total electricity units consumed till the end of each month. The bill will be generated for the number of units of electricity consumed till midnight on the 30th or 31st of every month. This change will initially benefit those 152,000 consumers who have smart meters installed.

Earlier, meter readers used to generate bills without coming home, which often led to complaints of high charges. Additionally, fixed charges for two months were charged in advance, causing inconvenience. The new system will eliminate this problem with a "zero hours" billing cycle. Consumers will receive bill notifications on their mobile phones on the first of every month.

Resolving billing issues

In June this year, over 25,000 Kesco consumers reported billing errors. The utility is now focusing on improving the billing process. Under the new system, bills will be based on power usage till the end of the month, resolving issues related to upfront fixed charges.

Upcoming smart meter installation

From September 15, Kesco will start installing 4G smart meters for its remaining six lakh consumers. The installation will be done as part of a new initiative to enhance billing accuracy. Currently, smart meters have been installed in 152,000 homes. Kesco officials have said that any faulty smart meter reported will be replaced without charging any additional fee from consumers.