Last updated: · Reviewed by the lescobillonline.com editorial team
Three different kinds of outage
Only the first two follow a schedule. If your neighbourhood is dark outside the published hours, treat it as a fault and report it rather than waiting.
- Planned load management — announced shedding during periods of national supply shortfall, applied on a rotating schedule.
- Losses-based shedding — feeders with high line losses or low recovery receive longer scheduled outages.
- Fault outages — a tripped transformer, a broken conductor, storm damage or maintenance work; unscheduled and usually localised.
Finding your feeder and schedule
- Identify your subdivision. The first digits of your 14-digit reference number encode your circle, division and subdivision.
- Note your feeder. Your feeder name is available from your subdivision office and is used for all outage planning.
- Check announcements. LESCO publishes load management notices on its official website and through its subdivision offices.
- Confirm by phone. Call the helpline with your reference number to confirm whether an outage is scheduled or a fault.
Reporting an unscheduled outage
Have your reference number ready before you call — it identifies your feeder instantly. Report the exact time the supply failed, whether neighbours are also affected, and any visible damage such as a sparking pole or a burnt transformer.
Keep the complaint number you are given. If the supply is not restored within the timeframe promised, the complaint guide sets out how to escalate to the executive engineer and then to NEPRA.
- Whole street dark — likely a transformer or feeder fault; report immediately.
- Only your house dark — check your own main breaker and service cable first.
- Lights dim or flickering — possible low voltage or a loose neutral; report it, as it damages appliances.
Does load shedding affect your bill?
Directly, no — you are billed for metered units, and hours without supply are hours without consumption. Indirectly, outages often raise bills: air conditioners and refrigerators work harder to recover after each restoration, and households run water motors and geysers in a rush when power returns.
Fixed charges, meter rent, PTV fee and taxes continue to apply regardless of outage hours, which is why a low-consumption month still produces a non-trivial bill.
Protecting appliances and staying comfortable
- Fit a voltage stabiliser or automatic voltage protector on the refrigerator and air conditioner.
- Unplug sensitive electronics during storms — surges on restoration are the main cause of damage.
- Size a UPS or inverter for fans and lights only; running an AC from an inverter is rarely economical.
- Rooftop solar with a hybrid inverter keeps daytime load running through an outage.
- Keep the freezer full — a full freezer holds temperature far longer than an empty one.
Helpful tips
- Save the helpline number and your reference number together in your phone.
- Log outage times for a month — a documented pattern strengthens a complaint about excessive shedding.
- Charge power banks and fill water tanks outside the usual outage window.
Warnings & common mistakes
- Never touch a fallen conductor or an open transformer — call the emergency helpline and keep people away.
- Illegal connections on a feeder raise losses and lengthen shedding for the whole neighbourhood.
- Do not run a generator indoors or in an enclosed garage; carbon monoxide is fatal.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check the LESCO load shedding schedule for my area?
Load management notices are issued by LESCO for each feeder. Identify your subdivision and feeder from your bill and reference number, then check LESCO's official announcements or call the helpline to confirm.
Why does my area have more load shedding than others?
Feeders with high line losses or low bill recovery are subject to longer scheduled outages under losses-based load management, while low-loss feeders may be exempt.
Is an outage outside the schedule a fault?
Usually yes. Unscheduled outages are typically caused by a tripped transformer, a broken conductor, storm damage or maintenance and should be reported on the helpline.
Do I get a bill reduction for load shedding hours?
No. You are billed for the units you actually consume, so hours without supply simply produce no consumption. Fixed charges and taxes still apply.
Does solar help during load shedding?
Only with a hybrid inverter and, ideally, battery storage. A grid-tied system without backup shuts down during an outage for safety reasons.
Check your LESCO bill now
Enter your 14-digit reference number to view the current amount, due date and full billing history.
Open LESCO bill check