ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has moved this week to expedite thousands of pending rooftop solar connections that could qualify for benefits under its old net-metering regime, months after overhauling a policy that had helped drive a rapid shift toward solar power across the country.
Pakistani energy authorities have instructed distribution utilities to fast-track thousands of backlogged rooftop solar applications, granting them access to the country's former, more lucrative net-metering program. The directive targets applicants who had already met key administrative criteria—including paying demand notices, securing licenses, acquiring modified meters, and receiving connection orders—prior to a major policy shift on Feb. 9, 2026.
The Ministry of Water and Power ordered all regional power distribution companies and the Pakistan Information Technology Company (PITC) to validate pending files that completed financial settlement before the February deadline. Systems software managed by PITC will be updated to incorporate verified consumers under the historical framework without administrative delays, while federal officials monitor compliance across all regional suppliers.
The regulatory push follows the repeal of Pakistan's 2015 net-metering framework, which permitted rooftop solar operators to offset grid usage on a kilowatt-hour basis. Driven by surging retail power tariffs and lower prices for imported Chinese photovoltaics, distributed solar installations expanded rapidly nationwide. However, officials argued the mechanism shifted fixed system costs and power plant capacity payments onto conventional utility customers, leading the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to end the original setup.
Under NEPRA's replacement framework, known as the Prosumer Regulations 2026, new distributed solar owners operate under a net-billing system. Instead of direct volumetric offsets, grid exports are purchased at a National Average Energy Purchase Price set at Rs8.13 ($0.03) per kilowatt-hour for 2026. Power drawn back from the grid is billed at full commercial retail tariffs, significantly incentivizing immediate self-consumption over generation exports.
Following public pushback over capital investments made under earlier rules, NEPRA revised its policies in April to grandfather existing net-metering contracts until their individual expiration dates. The recent ruling resolves the status of applicants caught mid-process during the transition, ensuring those who fulfilled payment requirements before Feb. 9 receive legacy benefits.
Originally reported by Arab News PK on Aug 26, 2026.
