ISLAMABAD – Existing net metering customers with valid 7-year agreements would continue to receive Rs22 per unit for surplus power until their contracts expire as NEPRA opened the proposal for public feedback for 30 days before finalizing the rules.
The federal government is preparing to replace existing net metering system with a new, harsher net billing policy, a decision that may slash incentives for solar consumers and trigger a sharp rise in electricity bills. Under current net metering regime, households and businesses with rooftop solar panels are able to offset electricity consumed from the national grid with power they export, effectively balancing imports and exports at nearly equal retail rates. This arrangement has been a major driver of solar adoption across the country.
Under proposed net billing model, electricity drawn from grid would be billed at full retail rates while solar power exported to the grid would be credited at a significantly lower rate. Experts warn that a typical consumer who imports and exports 300 units each month could now face a bill of around Rs10,000, a dramatic increase from the near-zero charges previously paid under net metering.
Government officials and power distribution companies argue that the change is necessary to cover grid maintenance costs and reduce alleged revenue losses, but critics claim the policy unfairly penalizes consumers who invested in solar to support the nation’s energy needs, effectively undermining the renewable energy sector.
The shift comes amid growing operational chaos, including a backlog of pending net metering applications and thousands of installed solar systems that remain unconnected or unmetered. Distribution companies such as LESCO have reportedly halted installation of new solar meters while awaiting directives from the federal ministry.
