Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari has said that nearly 25 percent of IESCO consumers have been equipped with AMI meters, which amounts to around 1.1 to 1.2 million meters installations. He described this as a key step towards modernizing the power sector.
Speaking during his visit to the IESCO AMI Control Center, the minister said that AMI meters are helping control the issue of overbilling. He added that the removal of human intervention will further improve transparency in the system. He noted that the meters have a built-in net metering facility and do not require replacement. Consumers can also access their electricity usage through a mobile application and pay their bills easily through One Link.
He said that effective monitoring of around 1.1 to 1.2 million meters from the AMI Control Center reflects the government’s commitment to a technology-driven and transparent system. He added that this approach is in line with the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to provide better services to consumers.
The minister further said that in the coming months, particularly after June, consumers will be able to clearly know their electricity bills and understand the system status. He noted that billing-related issues within this consumer base are already being addressed.
He said the government is committed to expanding this modern system across Pakistan in phases. A program for the installation of over 10 million AMI meters will be launched soon. He emphasized that single-phase meters will be digitized on priority to improve consumer convenience.
Chairman IESCO Dr Tahir Masood, CEO IESCO Chaudhary Khalid Mehmood, Chief Engineer Kamran Aftab, and Project Director AMI Mohsin Raza Gilani received the federal minister on his arrival. He was given a detailed briefing on the installation and working of AMI meters under the project.
Officials informed that the system helps control electricity theft through alarms and event detection. It can reduce the cost of disconnection and reconnection significantly. The system also supports better decision making based on data, while improving overall transparency.
The Federal Minister was taken to the AMI Control Center, where he was shown how data from AMI meters, including voltage, current usage and other key parameters, is monitored in real time He was informed that the system allows quick identification of faults and timely solutions, which will help improve service delivery and reliability for consumers.
