The federal government on Thursday extended the payment date of electricity bill to April 7, 2020 without late payment surcharge.

According to a notification, a copy of which is available with the Business Recorder, all distribution companies (DISCOs) are directed to disseminate the decision among their consumers. The circular has been issued in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The notification stated that the consumers have been relief due to outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

All DISCOs have also been directed to disseminate the decision among their consumers and implement the decision, the notification said.

The PEPCO and PITC have also been directed to strictly ensure the instructions and forward compliance report to Power Division.

Earlier, the K-Electric (KE) management had announced an extension in the due date for the payments of bills below Rs4,000 for the month of March – stretching it to April 10.

The KE management also announced its decision to suspend its officials’ physical meter-reading practice due to the health hazards posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – in a bid to safeguard both its employees and customers.

According to the company, electricity bills to residential and commercial customers will be calculated on the basis of their average number of units consumed, in line with the guidelines issued by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) for instances where physical meter-reading is not possible.