The Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) has addressed growing consumer anxieties regarding prepaid electricity meters, clarifying rules on deductions, “ghost bills,” long tokens, and sudden disconnections.
DPDC urged customers not to be misled by rumours or panic, clarifying several key issues regarding prepaid meter billing.
Deduction of demand charges
According to the utility provider, demand charges are deducted once a month based on the approved load of the consumer. If a customer fails to recharge their meter in any given month, the accumulated demand charges for the previous unpaid months, alongside the current month’s charge, will be deducted during the next recharge.
For instance, an “LT-Residential” category customer with an approved load of 2 kW who does not recharge for three consecutive months will face a demand charge of Tk252, calculated at Tk42 per kW monthly. DPDC noted that this identical rule is applicable to postpaid consumers as well.
Meter rent and VAT
On the issue of meter rent, DPDC clarified that customers who purchase and install prepaid meters at their own expense are not subject to any monthly meter rent.
However, for meters supplied by DPDC, a monthly rent of TK40 for a single-phase meter and TK250 for a three-phase meter is charged. No rent is applied if a customer replaces a damaged meter at their own cost.
A government-mandated 5 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) is applicable on electricity bills, which is automatically deducted from the total recharge amount and deposited into the government treasury.
Tariff changes and 200–220 digit tokens
Following a change in electricity tariffs, the first recharge generates a long token of 200 to 220 digits, which is required to update and activate the new rates in the meter.
DPDC reassured customers that there is no cause for concern, as subsequent recharges will generate the standard 20-digit tokens.
To ease the manual entry of these long tokens, DPDC is progressively bringing meters under an online network. Currently, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) prepaid meters are being installed, which do not require manual token entry. Recharges can also be done online via platforms like bKash and Rocket.
No scope for “Ghost Bills”
DPDC strongly maintained that there is no technical scope for “ghost bills” or charges exceeding actual electricity consumption in prepaid meters. The unit price of electricity consumed is automatically deducted in accordance with the rates fixed by Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).
However, the utility provider acknowledged that abnormal billing may occasionally occur due to technical issues, such as common neutral faults.
Friendly hours and emergency balance
To prevent sudden power disconnections, DPDC has designated weekly holidays (weekends) and the daily period from 4pm to 10am the following day as “Friendly Hours.” During these times, the power connection will not be disconnected even if the balance runs out.
Instead, the meter will operate on a negative balance, which is later adjusted during the next recharge. Additionally, consumers can manually activate an “emergency balance” to maintain electricity supply, which will also be adjusted upon the next recharge.
In the event of abnormal deductions, billing inconsistencies, technical faults, or sudden disconnections, DPDC has advised consumers to immediately lodge a complaint rather than panic.
Complaints can be made at respective customer service centres, complaint centres, or by calling the DPDC hotline at 16116. Customers must provide their customer and meter numbers to facilitate verification and remedial action.
