Power Minister orders fast-track net metering approvals

ISLAMABAD: Solar consumers waiting for net metering approvals may receive relief after Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Awais Leghari directed power distribution companies to accelerate the clearance of long-pending applications across the country.

The move is expected to benefit thousands of applicants whose net metering cases have remained delayed for months, allowing faster solar connections and supporting wider adoption of renewable energy.

According to officials, the minister issued strict instructions to all DISCOs to improve the processing and installation of net metering connections immediately.

Authorities have also decided to initiate disciplinary action against distribution companies found responsible for unnecessary delays and procedural bottlenecks.

During a briefing, officials revealed that as many as 1,355 net metering applications remain pending across different DISCOs, highlighting administrative inefficiencies and implementation delays.

The briefing further disclosed that transformers had not been properly tagged with net metering consumers in several cases, creating technical and procedural obstacles in processing applications.

Officials warned that the absence of proper tagging has led to rejection of many otherwise eligible net metering cases, raising concerns over application handling mechanisms.

It was also noted that complaint resolution timelines in several DISCOs exceed the limits prescribed by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), indicating regulatory non-compliance.

Expressing concern over the situation, the power minister directed all DISCOs to eliminate the backlog of pending net metering applications by June 1.

Authorities stated that accountability measures would be introduced for underperforming companies, and senior operational officials—including Superintending Engineers (SEs), Executive Engineers (XENs), and Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs)—could face action over delays and negligence.

Officials further warned that bonuses and performance incentives for officers and staff of poorly performing DISCOs may be withheld if improvements are not achieved.

The directives mark one of the strongest recent efforts to improve efficiency in Pakistan’s power distribution sector and speed up the rollout of solar net metering services.