The 200-unit trap: how one extra unit can cost you six months of higher bills
Cross 200 units once and you can lose 'protected' rates for six months. How the rule works, the proposed fix, and seven ways to stay under.
Ask any Pakistani household about the scariest number on the bijli bill and many will say 201. Go one unit over the line and you can pay for it for half a year.
How the rule works
If your home uses 200 units or less every month for six months in a row, you are a protected consumer and pay much lower rates on those units.
But if you go above 200 units in even one month, you lose protected status for that month and the next five, even if your usage drops straight back down. You only get it back after another six straight months at 200 or less. Pakera.pk explains it in detail, citing NEPRA documents.
How much difference it makes
Base energy charges per unit, from NEPRA’s January and February 2026 decisions as listed by Pakera.pk (taxes and adjustments are extra):
| Units in the month | Protected | Unprotected |
|---|---|---|
| 1-100 | Rs10.54 | Rs22.44 |
| 101-200 | Rs13.01 | Rs28.91 |
That is roughly double. In the site’s own worked example, a family that normally uses 150 units but hits 210 once could pay about Rs13,000 more over the following five months.
Is the rule changing?
Possibly. In September, the Power Division was reported to be considering charging the higher rate only in the month you cross 200, instead of six months. The National Assembly’s power committee backed the idea. But according to reports cited by Pakera.pk, TechJuice and others, it needs IMF approval, which had not been given. Until there is an official notification, assume the six-month rule still applies.
Pakera.pk also notes plans to move slab subsidies to a BISP-based targeted subsidy from January 2027, so the system may change again.
7 ways to stay under 200
- Read your meter mid-month. Note the reading on the 1st and check around the 15th. If you are at 110 or more, slow down.
- Check your billing date. NEPRA’s rules say a longer billing cycle should be pro-rated to a normal month, and carried-forward units must be shown separately. If your reading is late and pushes you over 200, complain to your DISCO.
- Watch the hot months. May to August is when most families cross 200. One AC can do it alone.
- Fans before AC. A ceiling fan uses a tiny fraction of an AC’s power. Use the AC at 26°C, not 18°C.
- Switch to LED bulbs. They use much less power than old bulbs and tube lights.
- Mind the water motor and iron. Both pull a lot of power. Run the motor on a timer and iron clothes in one go.
- Unplug standby devices. TVs, chargers and microwaves left on standby add up.
If you are near the limit every month, a small solar setup for fans and lights can be the safest way to stay protected.
Sources
This story was researched and drafted with AI assistance, then checked and edited by our editor before publishing.
