ISLAMABAD: Power Division has introduced the Power Smart App under the initiative “Apna Meter, Apni Reading” (My Meter, My Reading), a major step aimed at directly involving electricity consumers in the system and promoting transparency in the billing process.
The initiative was officially launched on Sunday by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
The app allows electricity consumers to take a photo of their electricity meter on a specified date each month and upload it directly to the app. The submitted reading will then be used to generate the consumer’s monthly bill, eliminating the need for physical meter reader visits and reducing the risk of billing errors or delays.
According to the power division, the purpose of this system is to provide an effective solution to long-standing issues such as overbilling, incorrect readings, and delays in meter reading.
Power division also said that this is not just a technological feature—it is a concrete governance reform that truly empowers consumers. Through this system, consumers will not only be able to monitor their bills but will also become custodians of the meter reading process.
Key features of the app include the provision that if a consumer submits their meter reading on the designated date, any subsequent reading taken by a meter reader will not be prioritized. Only the consumer’s submitted reading will be recorded and used for billing.
This system is especially beneficial for consumers who are eligible for government subsidies. For instance, consumers using up to 200 units of electricity receive a subsidized bill of around Rs. 2,330, but the bill can surge to Rs. 8,104 with the consumption of just one additional unit, which disqualifies them from the subsidy. Through this app, it will be ensured that eligible consumers can submit their readings on time and continue to benefit from the subsidy.
Features like “Apna Meter, Apni Reading” will not only bring transparency to the electricity system but will also empower consumers to the extent that they can monitor their billing themselves. This is expected to significantly reduce overbilling, unnecessary interference, and complaints.
Under the leadership of Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, and with the dedicated efforts of Secretary Dr. Fakhar Alam and the entire team working on the initiative, this modern and revolutionary solution has been successfully implemented, said power division.
