Electricity tariff slabs decide the rate you pay for each unit of electricity in Pakistan. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) sets these slabs, and every distribution company (LESCO, MEPCO, IESCO and the rest) charges them the same way. Your slab depends on how many units you use in a month, and the rate climbs as usage rises. A protected consumer under 200 units pays as little as PKR 7.74 per unit. An unprotected household above 700 units pays around PKR 48.84 per unit. This guide explains how the slabs work, the difference between protected and unprotected status, and why one unit over a threshold can lift your whole bill.
What a tariff slab is
A tariff slab is a usage band with its own per-unit rate. Pakistan uses a progressive slab structure, so the first units you consume cost less than the last. NEPRA reviews and notifies these rates, and the distribution companies apply them.
Your monthly units land you in a slab. Use 150 units and you fall in the 101 to 200 band. Use 250 and you move to the 201 to 300 band, where every unit costs more. The slab is read from your meter reading, printed on the bill as units consumed.
Protected and unprotected consumers
Protected consumers get the lowest rates. To qualify, a household must stay at or below 200 units in every one of the last six months. Cross 200 units even once, and the connection becomes unprotected for the next six months, at a higher rate.
Unprotected consumers pay more per unit in the same usage band. A protected user in the 1 to 100 slab pays between PKR 7.74 and 13.48 per unit. An unprotected user in that same slab pays around PKR 23.59. So protected status alone can cut a low-usage bill by half.
The slab rates for 2026
These figures are indicative and move when NEPRA revises the schedule. The exact rate for your month prints on your own bill under the tariff or rate column. Read that figure for payment, and treat the table above as a guide to the pattern.
| Monthly units | Indicative rate per unit |
|---|---|
| 1 to 100 (protected) | PKR 7.74 to 13.48 |
| 1 to 100 (unprotected) | PKR 23.59 |
| 101 to 200 | PKR 30.07 |
| 201 to 300 | PKR 34.26 |
| 301 to 400 | PKR 39.15 |
| 401 to 500 | PKR 41.36 |
| 501 to 600 | PKR 42.33 |
| Above 700 | PKR 48.84 |
Why crossing 200 units matters
The 200-unit line is the single biggest threshold on a domestic bill. It separates protected from unprotected pricing, and the jump is steep. A household sitting at 195 units for months loses protected status the moment it bills 205, and the higher rate then applies for six billing cycles.
Slab pricing also works step by step within the bill. Cross from 200 to 201 units and the whole bill is charged on the higher slab structure, not just the single extra unit. That is why an air conditioner switched on for a few extra hours late in the month can raise the bill by more than the electricity it used.
Time of use metering
Time of Use (TOU) metering charges a different rate for peak and off-peak hours, and applies to larger domestic connections and commercial users. Peak hours cost more per unit, off-peak hours less. A TOU meter shows peak and off-peak readings separately on the bill.
Households on TOU can lower the bill by shifting heavy loads, washing machines, irons and water pumps, to off-peak hours. Peak windows are set by each DISCO and printed with the tariff notification.
Tips & things to watch
- Track your monthly units. Staying at or below 200 for six straight months restores protected status.
- One unit over a slab threshold raises the rate on the whole bill, not just that unit. Watch usage near month-end.
- Read the rate printed on your own bill for the exact figure. The table here shows the pattern, not your final number.
Frequently asked questions
A protected consumer is a household that stays at or below 200 units in every one of the last six months. Protected status unlocks the lowest per-unit rates, starting near PKR 7.74.
Domestic bills use several usage bands: 1 to 100, 101 to 200, 201 to 300, 301 to 400, 401 to 500, 501 to 600, and above 700 units. Each band carries a higher per-unit rate than the one below it.
Yes. Crossing a slab threshold moves the whole bill to the higher slab, not just the single unit. Passing 200 units also strips protected status for the next six months.
NEPRA, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, sets and notifies the rates. Every distribution company charges the same NEPRA-notified slabs.
Your exact rate is printed on your bill under the tariff or rate column. The slab table is a guide to the pattern; your bill carries the figure used for payment.