ISLAMABAD – Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) started prioritizing the installation of AMI single-phase smart meters at Punjab Government offices while consumers continue to receive conventional static meters, raising questions over the utility’s rollout strategy and calls for transparency.
It appears that when it comes to getting the smart treatment from Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), being a government department has its perks. Questions are being raised over LESCO’s decision to prioritize the installation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) single-phase smart meters at Punjab Government institutions.
The utility giant, with 6.7 million electricity consumers, approved the replacement of existing electricity meters installed at various Punjab Government departments with AMI smart meters. Formal letters have reportedly been issued to the relevant government offices, directing them to begin the transition to the latest metering technology.
The reported move reignited criticism over what many are calling biased smart metering policy. Consumers are asking simple question, if AMI smart meters are efficient and accurate enough for government offices, why are the same consumers who ultimately fund the system still being handed standard static meters as of July 2026?
The rollout will cover government offices across LESCO’s Northern, Central and Eastern Circles, as well as the operational regions of Okara, Southern Circle, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib and Kasur, bringing advanced electricity monitoring and billing to public institutions.
For ordinary consumers, however, the wait for the same technology appears to continue. While government departments are reportedly being fast-tracked into the era of smart metering, the public is seemingly expected to remain patient—and static, much like the meters they are still receiving.
The reported rollout is expected to improve electricity monitoring and billing for government departments, but it has also intensified demands for greater transparency over LESCO’s smart meter deployment strategy. Consumers and industry observers are questioning the criteria being used to determine who qualifies for the latest technology—and why the benefits appear to be reaching government offices before the general public.
LESCO is yet to clear air on reported difference in the rollout for government institutions and general consumers, leaving many to wonder whether “smart metering” is currently reserved for smart addresses rather than all electricity users.
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