Office of Chief Engineer (Power)

Chief Engineer (Power) – Overview
The office of the Chief Engineer (Power) plays a crucial role in the administration and regulation of electricity-related matters within the province. It primarily admistrates compliance with the Electricity Act of 1910 and Electricity Rules of 1937, along with other relevant regulations such as the NEPRA Act, 1997. The Chief Engineer's responsibilities include managing the Provincial Offices of Inspection under Section 38 of the NEPRA Act and maintaining administrative control over the work of Electric Inspectors in Punjab.

The Chief Engineer also oversees technical matters relating to the offices of Electric Inspectors, including handling disputes, court cases, and appeals related to their decisions. Under Section 35 of the Electricity Act, 1910, the Chief Engineer chairs advisory boards that review and resolve appeals against Electric Inspectors' decisions.

Additionally, the Chief Engineer manages the administration of the Punjab Finance Act, 1964 in terms of electricity duty, ensuring the proper levy, assessment, and collection of this duty. The role also extends to granting electrical contractor licenses under category ‘A’ and ‘B’, as well as supervising the Provincial Licensing Board, where the Chief Engineer acts as its President.

The Chief Engineer oversees the Reconciliation Cell, established in 1999, which facilitates the reconciliation of energy billing for Punjab Government departments of over 104000 electricity connections. Furthermore, the office also supervises the Directorate of Power Projects (DoPP), formed in 2012, which is responsible for executing non-commercial renewal projects throughout the province.

Organogram of Office of Chief Engineer Power

In summary, the Chief Engineer (Power) manages a wide array of responsibilities relating to the regulation, administration, and technical aspects of electricity in the province, while Electric Inspectors focus on ensuring compliance with electricity laws, handling disputes, conducting inspections, and managing licensing for contractors and electricians.

Electric Inspector – Overview

Electric Inspectors are responsible for resolving disputes related to metering, billing, and tariff collection under the Electricity Act of 1910 and the NEPRA Act, 1997. They handle cases referred by courts, including those from the Wafaqi Mohtasib, and are involved in checking disputed meters to resolve these disputes through state of the art meter testing instruments.
 

CALMET POWER ANALYSER	CALMET ENERGY ANALYSER
EARTH TESTER	ELECTRICITY METER

A key function of Electric Inspectors is to ensure the proper levy, assessment, and collection of electricity duty as per the Punjab Finance Act, 1964 and the Punjab Electricity Duty Rules, 2012. They also performs regulatory role in conducting annual/periodic inspections of industrial and commercial electricity connections (over 100KW) in the private sector, as per government notification No.SO(P)(I&P)4-2/2002.

Electric Inspectors verify the test reports submitted by licensed wiring contractors for new connections or extensions of load, ensuring compliance with NEPRA’s Consumer Eligibility Criteria, 2003. They also issue approvals for High Tension (HT) supply connections as per Rule 62 of the Electricity Rules of 1937.
 

POWER TRANSFORMER	ELECTRIC PANELS

Furthermore, Electric Inspectors are tasked with conducting inspections of public buildings under the aforementioned government notification. They also serve as the Secretary of the Regional Licensing Board, which is responsible for the grant, renewal, and administration of Electrical Contractor Licenses and Competency Certificates in Categories C & D, as well as wireman permits.

Additionally, Electric Inspectors oversee the annual inspections of cinemas as per the Cinematograph Rules, 1984, and are responsible for granting and renewing Cinema Operator Certificates.
Key Achievements of the Office of Chief Engineer (Power), Energy Department and allied offices (January 2023 to December 2024)

The Office of the Chief Engineer (Power) in the Energy Department has made significant strides in various areas of electricity regulation, complaint resolution, and safety inspections during the period from January 2023 to December 2024. Below are the key achievements:

• A total of 1,637 billing disputes were resolved in 2023-2024.
• The Electric Inspectors successfully resolved 2653 complaints received through the Online Electricity Complaint Portal across all eight offices of Electric Inspectors and Provincial Offices of Inspection (POIs). This reflects the commitment to improve accessibility and responsiveness to consumer issues.
• To ensure the electrical safety of public buildings, 8,621 public buildings were inspected during the reporting period. This inspection was carried out under the Electricity Act, 1910, and Electricity Rules, 1937, in line with the government’s commitment to public safety.
• Electric Inspectors issued 12,140 notices to owners of industrial and commercial premises (above 100 KW) for mandatory inspection by Licensed Electrical Contractors (LECs). Out of these, 11,083 premises were inspected by LECs, and 517 premises were directly inspected by the Electric Inspectors. The remaining inspections are set to be completed by January 2025.
• The Business Facilitation Centers (BFCs) were launched in Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Multan, and Faisalabad to streamline the approval process for electricity-related business applications. By December 2024, a total of 5,946 approvals were issued across these centers. The centers have facilitated the verification of test reports, approval of high-tension installations, registration of power generation connections, and more.
• To support business growth and employment in the electricity sector, the Provincial and Regional Licensing Boards issued 22 electrical contractor licenses in Categories “A” & “B”, and 110 licenses in Categories “C” & “D”. Additionally, 35 wireman permits were granted to qualified individuals.
• The Electric Inspectors provided continuous field support to the Reconciliation Cell in the Energy Department. They facilitated the installation and testing of AMI meters and conducted joint surveys and meter testing for 1,376 government sites. Furthermore, the field staff assisted in the installation and testing of 1,924 AMI meters under Phase-III of the AMI project.
• The Electric Inspector offices generated Rs. 79.472 million revenue under the Head of Account B030-Electricity from January 2023 to September 2024, demonstrating effective revenue management and collection.

Contact details of Electric Inspectors offices in Punjab: