ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — The government has decided to install smart meters on transformers run by all of Pakistan’s electricity distribution companies, and will seek billions of dollars in loans from international lenders to pay for it, according to an official statement.
The decision came at a meeting chaired by Ahad Cheema, the federal minister for economic affairs, which reviewed the development projects and financing needs of the distribution companies, known as Discos.
The Economic Affairs Division is arranging the funding and will negotiate with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank for financial assistance, the statement said. No loan amount or timeline was announced.
What a transformer meter does
The meters are meant to help curb electricity theft and overbilling. A meter on a transformer records how much power flows to the homes and shops it serves, which lets a Disco compare what it supplies to an area with what customers there are billed.
The gap between the two is where theft and line losses show up. The government says the meters will also help it tackle overbilling.
The plan comes as the government prepares to sell its first three distribution companies, Islamabad, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala, in early 2027.
