Check SEPCO's Loss Target in Sindh: NEPRA Allows 16.31%, SEPCO Lost 38.99%
NEPRA's 7 August 2026 decision sets SEPCO's loss target at 16.31%, or 8.10% if a study is late. See the tables and check the decision yourself in five steps.
NEPRA has set SEPCO's provisional loss target at 16.31% for FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27, while SEPCO itself reported losing 38.99% of its electricity in 2024-25. The target sits in NEPRA's decision of 7 August 2026 on SEPCO's five year investment plan. If SEPCO misses its study deadline, a much tighter target of 8.10% applies instead.
SEPCO supplies Sukkur and the surrounding districts of Sindh. We read the full decision on NEPRA's SEPCO page. This page explains the numbers, what the deadline means and how you can check them yourself.
SEPCO lost 38.99% of its power against a 16.31% target
SEPCO told NEPRA that its transmission and distribution losses ended 2024-25 at 38.99%. NEPRA's projected target for that year was 16.31%. So for every 100 units sent into SEPCO's network, about 39 never reached a paying meter.
Losses here mean two things. Technical loss is power that heats wires and transformers on the way. Other loss is power that is stolen, wrongly metered or not billed. SEPCO's own explanation in the decision is a shortage of staff, which limited field checks, accurate metering and loss reduction work.
Figures differ slightly between NEPRA documents. NEPRA's separate performance report, which we cover in the guide on line losses by power company, lists SEPCO at 39.18%. The 38.99% figure comes from this investment plan decision.
The old investment plan was only 36% used
NEPRA had allowed SEPCO Rs 39,509 million for the last five years. SEPCO spent Rs 14,231 million, about 36%. NEPRA called this a serious under-use of approved money and pointed to slow work on new grid stations.
The decision gives three reasons for the delay: land that was hard to acquire, problems buying equipment and weak coordination between SEPCO's own departments. NEPRA also said losses and outage figures need substantial improvement.
On safety, fatal accidents fell from 14 in FY 2020-21 to 8 in FY 2024-25. NEPRA added that the trend is uneven and that even one death is unacceptable.
NEPRA allows 16.31% now and 8.10% if the study is late
NEPRA allows 16.31% for FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 only until an outside study is done. If SEPCO does not submit that study in time, the target drops to 8.10% from FY 2025-26, and the money difference is reworked later.
| Part of the loss target | Provisional target | If the study is late |
|---|---|---|
| High voltage (11 kV) loss | 10.71% | 5.32% |
| Low voltage (400/230 V) loss | 3.50% | 1.85% |
| Law and order margin | 1.00% | Not listed |
| Total distribution loss | 15.21% | 7.17% |
| Transmission loss | 1.30% | 1.00% |
| Total T&D loss | 16.31% | 8.10% |
NEPRA told SEPCO to hire an international consultant to run the loss study. The deadline is nine months from NEPRA's tariff decision of 7 January 2026, which we count as about 7 October 2026. We did not see a study or a NEPRA notice about it on the pages we read on 14 October.
Why a loss target can reach your bill
NEPRA builds a loss level into SEPCO's tariff. The final target decides how much loss the tariff counts in later years. This is why the study deadline matters, and why a gap between 16.31% and 8.10% is large.
We cannot say that your own bill will change because of this decision. The decision says the financial effect of a revised target will be made part of a later adjustment, called the prior year adjustment. NEPRA has not yet published that number.
Cost recovery is a separate problem, and we explain it in the guide on how well each company recovers its costs. If you suspect theft in your area, the steps to report electricity theft are free.
Check the decision yourself in five steps
The decision is public on NEPRA's SEPCO page. You can read the same paragraphs we used. The target tables sit near the end, under the heading Order of the Authority, so you do not need to read all 68 pages.
- Open the SEPCO page on nepra.org.pk.
- Find the entry dated 07-08-2026 on the Distribution Investment Plan and Losses Assessment.
- Open the PDF and go to paragraph 206, the order approving the plan.
- Read paragraph 208 for the provisional loss table and paragraph 209 for the fallback table.
- Compare both with the 38.99% loss SEPCO reported in paragraph 65.
If you live in SEPCO's area and need your bill, the guide to SEPCO bill check online shows the free duplicate bill route. For power quality problems you can also read how to report low voltage under NEPRA's 5% rule.
Common questions about SEPCO's loss target
What is SEPCO's loss target?
NEPRA allows 16.31% total loss for FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27. That is a provisional figure until an outside study is done.
What did SEPCO actually lose in 2024-25?
SEPCO reported 38.99% in this decision. NEPRA's separate performance report lists 39.18%, so the two documents differ slightly.
What happens if SEPCO misses the study deadline?
The target becomes 8.10% from FY 2025-26. NEPRA says the money effect will be reworked in a later adjustment.
Does this raise my electricity bill?
We cannot say. The decision sets targets and rules, not a unit price. Any money effect comes later through a separate NEPRA adjustment.
Which areas does SEPCO serve?
SEPCO is the Sukkur Electric Power Company. It supplies Sukkur and nearby districts in Sindh. Karachi is served by K-Electric, which has a separate tariff.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 14 October 2026. Every figure comes from NEPRA's decision of 7 August 2026 on SEPCO's Distribution Investment Plan and Losses Assessment, published on the SEPCO page of nepra.org.pk. The decision's tables were read from a scanned PDF, so check the printed table before you quote a decimal. The study deadline date is our own count from the 7 January 2026 decision. We found no notice of a submitted study.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
