Billonlinemepco
EX — the previous reading
"EX" on your bill refers to the Ex-reading, meaning your previous month's meter reading — the starting point from which this month's consumption is calculated.
Your bill always shows two readings side by side: the previous reading (what your meter showed at the start of this billing cycle) and the present reading (what it shows now). Subtract one from the other, and that difference is your billed units for the month. When you see "EX" labeling one of these numbers, it's simply flagging which of the two is the prior-cycle baseline.
This matters most when something looks off with your units — if your consumption suddenly seems too high or too low, checking whether the EX reading matches what your actual bill showed last month is the first place to look. A mismatch there — where the "previous reading" on this bill doesn't match the "present reading" from last month's bill — is a genuine red flag worth raising with your subdivision office, since it usually points to a data entry error rather than an actual usage change.
SS — Sanctioned Supply
"SS" stands for Sanctioned Supply — the maximum electrical load, measured in kilowatts, that your specific connection is officially authorized to draw. This figure was set when your connection was first installed, based on the load application you submitted at that time.
This is more than a technical footnote. If your actual demand starts exceeding your sanctioned supply — commonly because you've added appliances, expanded a business operation, or installed heavier equipment than what the connection was originally approved for — you're operating outside your authorized load. Depending on severity and how it's discovered, this can range from a routine notice to apply for a load extension, up to being treated as unauthorized load use, which carries the same category of consequences as a detection bill in more serious cases.
Practical takeaway: if you're planning to add a significant new appliance — a second AC, industrial equipment, an additional workshop machine — check your sanctioned supply first and apply for a formal load extension if needed, rather than assuming your existing connection automatically covers it.
LS — Load Shedding indicator (context-dependent)
"LS" appears less consistently across bill formats but generally relates to load shedding status or scheduling notations tied to your specific feeder. Its exact appearance and meaning can vary slightly depending on which subdivision and feeder your connection sits on, since load shedding schedules are managed at a fairly granular, feeder-by-feeder level rather than uniformly across the whole MEPCO network.
If you see LS-related notation on your bill and aren't sure what it's indicating for your specific case, your subdivision office can clarify exactly what it references for your feeder — this is one of the few codes worth a direct query rather than general explanation, given the local variation.
Other codes worth knowing
MDI — Maximum Demand Indicator, relevant only to commercial and industrial connections, measuring peak power draw rather than total consumption. Full explanation here.
QTA — Quarterly Tariff Adjustment, a per-unit charge reviewed every three months covering distribution cost and revenue requirement changes.
FPA — Fuel Price Adjustment, the monthly variable charge reflecting real fuel costs versus your tariff's reference cost. Full breakdown here.
MF — Meter (Multiplication) Factor, relevant mainly on industrial or CT-metered connections where the raw meter reading needs to be multiplied by a fixed factor to get actual consumption — most domestic bills show an MF of 1, meaning no adjustment applies.
Tariff Category codes (A-1, B-1, B-2, C-1, C-2, C-3, D-1, D-2) — These identify your specific consumer classification, which determines your applicable rate structure. A-1 is standard domestic, B-series is commercial, C-series is industrial, and D-series covers agricultural tube-well connections.
Why bother learning these at all?
Beyond general curiosity, understanding these codes gives you a genuine ability to spot billing errors before they compound. A mismatched EX reading, a sanctioned supply figure that no longer reflects your actual equipment, or an unexplained MDI charge are all things you can only catch if you know what you're looking at in the first place. Most billing complaints that get resolved quickly and cleanly are the ones where the consumer could point to a specific, named discrepancy — "my EX reading doesn't match last month's present reading" gets a faster, more precise response than "my bill looks wrong."
Frequently Asked Questions
What does EX mean on a MEPCO bill?
EX refers to the Ex-reading — your previous month's meter reading, used as the starting point to calculate this month's consumption alongside the present reading.
What is SS on my electricity bill?
SS stands for Sanctioned Supply — the maximum load your connection is officially authorized to draw, as set when your connection was first installed or last formally revised.
What happens if my actual usage exceeds my sanctioned supply?
You're technically operating outside your authorized load, which can range from a notice to apply for a load extension to being treated as unauthorized use in more serious or repeated cases. It's best addressed proactively by applying for a formal extension before adding significant new load.
Why does my EX reading not match my previous bill's present reading?
This usually indicates a data entry or system error rather than an actual consumption issue, and is worth raising directly with your subdivision office for correction, since it affects how your units are calculated.
Is MF the same as MDI?
No — MF (Meter Factor) is a multiplication factor applied to raw meter readings on certain industrial or CT-metered connections, while MDI (Maximum Demand Indicator) measures peak power draw. Most domestic connections show MF as 1, meaning it has no effect on the bill.
Where can I get an explanation of a code specific to my bill that isn't covered here?
Your subdivision office can clarify any bill notation specific to your connection or feeder, particularly for codes like LS that vary by local context.
Last updated: August 2026
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