Breaking: Punjab Govt to correct electricity bills of 63,000 consumers within 3 days after meter readers’ strike, software glitch
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 25, 2026: The Punjab government has announced that electricity bills issued to around 63,000 consumers will be corrected within three working days following billing problems linked to a meter readers’ strike and a technical glitch in the billing software.
Punjab Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Saund shared the details during a press conference, saying the government was taking steps to resolve complaints from consumers who received average or unusually high electricity bills.
Explaining the issue, Saund said regular meter readings could not be carried out in May and June due to the strike by meter readers. As electricity consumption increased during the peak summer period in July, the system calculated an average based on the combined consumption of the three months.
For instance, if consumption for the three months was 250, 250 and 450 units, the combined 950 units were divided by three, resulting in an average monthly consumption of around 316.6 units. According to the minister, this calculation affected the eligibility of some consumers for the benefit of up to 300 units of free electricity per month.
Saund said the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has around 78 lakh consumers, of whom approximately 63,000 were affected by this particular billing issue.
Citing directions from Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the minister said corrected and fresh bills would be issued to all affected consumers within the next three working days.
He said consumers whose consumption remained below 300 units in May and June would receive the applicable subsidy for those months, while they would be required to pay only for additional consumption recorded in July.
Consumers who have not yet paid their bills will receive revised bills within three days. Those who have already made payments have also been assured that they do not need to worry, as any excess amount collected will be adjusted in their next billing cycle.
Addressing reports of unusually high electricity bills circulating on social media, the minister said a technical problem occurred while data was being migrated from the old SAP system to a new billing system.
According to the government, an investigation found that 98 per cent of the bills were accurate, while problems were detected in around two per cent of bills due to the software glitch. Saund said the technical issue has since been fixed.
The government has also issued a show-cause notice to the company concerned and initiated legal action under a five-year legal bond, he said.
Dedicated Team and Helpline for Consumer Complaints
To assist consumers, the government is also setting up a dedicated customer-care facility, with a 20-member team assigned to handle complaints related to billing issues.
The minister said complaints from consumers who suspect that they have received inflated bills will be examined and resolved within 15 days after verification.