Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has reportedly started purchasing traditional single‑phase “static” meters again, delaying the rollout of AMI smart meters for the time being.
According to the report, the utility plans to acquire approximately 225,000 single‑phase static meters at an estimated cost of Rs1 billion.
This move reverses a policy announced around two months ago, when LESCO had stopped buying conventional meters and committed to installing AMI single‑phase smart meters following directives from the Power Division.
The previous ban on ordinary meters, issued under the ministry’s instructions, had left LESCO with a shortage of meters. As a result, many consumers were unable to get new meters installed for fresh connections or to replace faulty ones, generating increasing complaints.
The report also claims that LESCO’s reference to the Power Division’s letter confused consumers regarding the status of meter installations.
Facing the shortage, the company has now decided to procure static meters again so that it can continue providing new connections and replace defective units without further delay.