KATHMANDU: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has announced up to a two percent discount on the payment of electricity tariffs in advance.

The NEA made public this information through a public notice on Thursday.

NEA’s scheme follows the direction some days ago by Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barsha Man Pun, also the chairperson of the NEA board of directors not to slap fines on electricity consumers.

It also urged consumers to take electricity bills when one cannot read the meter and does not get the bills.

According to the rules, a consumer gets a two percent discount on the payments within a week including the day when the meter is read. No fine is imposed when making the payments between eight and 15 days.

Five percent of fines are imposed when the payments are made between 16th and 30th days. One is charged 10 percent while making the payments between 31st and 40th day and 25 percent between 41th and 60th day.

Electricity is disconnected without prior notice after 60 days of non-payments. NEA’s new scheme would save consumers time to visit the NEA branch from time to time and transportation fare, said NEA.

*Corrected