Slab Benefit & Slab Jump Explained
Definition. A slab is a consumption bucket (0–100, 101–200, 201–300, and so on) with its own per-unit price; the slab benefit means low-volume unprotected users are billed entirely at the lowest slab rate up to 100 units rather than being averaged across slabs.
One extra unit can change your whole bill, not just the units above it. Here's how Pakistan's residential slab system works and what a slab jump actually costs you.
What slab benefit means in practice
An unprotected residential account that stays at or under 100 units in a month gets every one of those units priced at the cheapest slab rate. Cross 100 units, though, and the whole month is recalculated — not just the units past the line, the entire bill. That's why 101 units can cost noticeably more than 99 did the month before.
This isn't a billing glitch. NEPRA built it this way deliberately, as an incentive to keep consumption low.
Staying on the right side of the line
Keep an eye on your running total through the meter display or your DISCO's app — MEPCO and LESCO both have one. If you're sitting at 180 units with five days left in the cycle, that's the moment to switch off the geyser and water heater rather than after the bill arrives.
Moving heavy loads like the AC, iron, or motor pump to early morning or late night, and keeping the thermostat around 26°C, cuts the per-hour draw enough to matter over a full cycle.
The slab ladder
Standard unprotected slabs run 1–100, 101–200, 201–300, 301–400, 401–500, 501–600, 601–700, and 701+, each with its own published per-unit rate before FPA, ET, TRS, and GST are added.
Rates move periodically, so check the tariff table printed on your bill or the current NEPRA notification rather than relying on last month's numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Does slab benefit apply to protected consumers?
Protected users already sit on the cheapest slab structure and do not lose benefit the same way. Their slabs are lower and slower to step up.
Does solar net metering affect my slab?
Yes — net metering reduces net units imported from the grid, which can keep you inside a lower slab and preserve slab benefit for unprotected users.
Related tariff topics
- Protected vs Unprotected Consumers
- Fuel Price Adjustment (FPA) Explained
- TV Fee, GST, ET & TRS Explained
Check your own numbers on the official duplicate bill or try the bill calculator.