Solar net metering policy retained for existing consumers

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Monday decided to retain the net metering policy for existing solar consumers.

NEPRA has issued a formal notification amending the solar policy. The power regulatory body has established a 30-day period for stakeholders to provide their feedback and suggestions about this particular decision. The notification states that the amendment will begin its implementation on February 9.

The NEPRA has announced that it will honor all current agreements with existing net-metering consumers, confirming that their established solar rates will remain unchanged.

The power regulatory body clarified that it will continue to purchase electricity from these consumers under their current terms. The existing net-metering agreements will remain in effect until their designated end dates. Furthermore, NEPRA has issued a new draft of the Solar Regulation 2026.

Public feedback and stakeholder comments on the proposed changes have been sought within a 30-day window. Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the new regulations issued by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) concerning solar energy.

The Prime Minister chaired a special meeting about the matter, which he directed the Power Division to file a review appeal with NEPRA for protecting current solar consumer contracts.

He required that all available measures should be implemented to protect the rights of existing solar users. The Prime Minister further stated that the burden of 466,000 solar consumers should not be shifted onto more than 37.6 million other electricity users. He instructed the Power Division to develop an all-encompassing solution for the problem at hand.