New solar meter policy announced for consumer protection

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has approved a new solar net metering policy that guarantees financial security to solar customers throughout the country, including LESCO and all other distribution companies (DISCOs).

The new rules, which will start in February 2026, establish that consumers will keep their exported grid units when their bi-directional solar “Green Meter” experiences either a burnout or malfunction.

DISCOs must credit the consumer based on the average exported units from the same period last year for up to two months. The system now requires complete meter replacement within two months for all faulty meters, while testing laboratories will receive the removed meters.

NEPRA will implement additional changes to the exported units based on any discrepancies found in the lab’s technical report. Solar users used to suffer financial losses when their meters malfunctioned because the electricity that they sent back to the grid went unmeasured.

This policy guarantees prosumers—consumers who generate and supply energy—a fair settlement and timely meter replacement, which marks a crucial advancement for solar energy adoption in Pakistan.