ISLAMABAD – Pakistan: The Power Division announced an expansive initiative to install smart electricity meters across the country, aiming to tackle longstanding issues of overbilling, power theft, and inaccurate readings.
According to the plan, the rollout will begin with replacement of conventional meters—especially three-phase units—with advanced smart meters under the government’s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) programme. The move is part of a broader effort to digitise the power sector and bring greater transparency to billing and consumption.
Officials emphasise that once fully in place, smart meters will enable real-time data collection, remote monitoring, and immediate detection of tampering or theft. The distribution companies (DISCOs) have been instructed to prepare business-plans for phased installations, with some reports indicating an initial target of hundreds of thousands of meters in the first year.
The government also expects the shift to yield benefits for consumers: fewer billing surprises, faster complaint responses and more accurate charges tied to actual usage. Equally important, the reform is seen as essential to reducing transmission and distribution losses, improving revenue collection and strengthening the overall stability of the power grid.
While the initiative marks a significant leap toward modernization, implementation challenges remain—such as financing, vendor coordination, consumer communication and infrastructure upgrades. The success of the programme will depend on seamless cooperation between federal agencies, DISCOs and technology providers.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.