Net Metering in Pakistan

Due to inflation, it has become extremely difficult for everyone to maintain their monthly budget. The unit price in Pakistan is so high For this reason, Pakistanis utilize various tricks that can help them. One such effort is to utilize the natural power of the sun through net metering. 

Basically, it stores your extra production of electricity and later helps in maintaining your electricity bills by saving energy. Around 20,700 houses in Pakistan are using this facility to maintain an eco-friendly environment and save energy. 

After you apply for green meters, the next important question is, what are green meter rates in Pakistan? The rates of the green meters are not the same for everyone; they vary according to different situations.

Well, in this article, we will have net metering tariffs and their criteria. So keep reading!

What is the Green Meter Rate or Net Metering Tariffs in Pakistan?

Before learning the current green meter rates, let’s first have a look at it. Basically, green meter prices or Net metering tariffs are a price schedule according to which the government charges consumers for using electricity. 

It depends on various factors, such as location. So, the net metering tariff is the amount at which you can buy or sell electricity back to the grid. 

The current green meter rates are 19.32 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). That means you can sell your extra saved energy to NEPRA at this price.

Moreover, you should also know that NEPRA buys electricity at off-peak rates. This is because the time of generation of this electricity from the solar system is during the off-peak hours.

Total Expense of Installing Net Meters in Pakistan in 2025

As the green meter rate varies according to situation and location, the prices of the installation of green meters also depend on different factors. 

Here is a rough estimate so that when you are planning to install it, you have an idea of the budget.

Documents required for Net Metering

Here is a list of essential documents which you need to apply for green meters in Pakistan. 

• A copy of last month’s electricity bill.
• A Distributed Generation Interconnection Agreement between Solar Generator and Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC)

Eligibility Criteria for Net Metering

You may have noticed that hundreds of houses have solar plates but not all of them have green meters. Have you ever wondered why? The reason is obvious, they don’t fall under the criteria. Installing solar systems does not mean that you can have green meters as well. To get green meters, you need to fulfill some requirements.

Here is a list of criteria to apply for green meters in Pakistan in 2024.

How to apply Net Metering in PAKISTAN?

Here, you can see the step-by-step process of net metering.

Installation of solar system

The first step is the installation of a minimum of 5KW solar system according to the rule of NEPRA.

Preparation application

After the installation client will assisted by the net metering team in the application process

Inspection and NOC issuance

After application approval, inspection is carried out by the Punjab Energy Department as per SRO 892(1)/2015 & SOP for NOC Issuance.

Signing of legal agreement

A three-year legal agreement is required between the consumer and LESCO.

Allotment of generation license

After the legal agreement application will be forwarded to  NEPRA for verification. After verifying all the requirements, NEPERA will give you a general license. Then, you will be allowed to produce the electricity and sell it to the national grid for the next three years.

Activation of net meter

This is the last step. After successfully allotting the generation license, you will activate the net meter, which will allow you to save and sell electricity.

Some Tricks to Speed up Your Green Meter Approval Process

It took me some extra time to get approval for my green meter process. And, from all this experience, I found some important tips that can help anyone to speed up their net metering process. 

Some tricks that you can follow to get approval for your green meter quickly are mentioned below:

• Regular Follow Ups

Don’t just submit your application. However, you should regularly keep track of your approval process as it is the only way to get quickly approved. You can keep in touch with the APDA team.

• Meet all Criteria

Before applying for a net metering request, you should make sure that you are following the criteria. You should make a checklist of all requirements and fulfill them ahead.

• Proper verification

WAPDA requires a proper verification process to make sure you are applying for a legitimate reason and fall under the criteria. Therefore, you should provide all basic and authentic documents to WAPDA which are essential.

• Compliance with Regulations

You should also ensure the net metering team that you will follow all the rules and regulations.

Benefits of Net Metering

1. Reduce the consumer electricity bill
2. No battery storage system is required
3. Pressure on the grid reduced
4. Environmental pollution can be reduced
5. Awareness of power consumption will be increased

Disadvantages of Net Metering

1. Limited capacity to generate electricity 
2. Policy and regulatory challenges can be complex according to the region
3. Maintenance and repair costs every year
4. The high cost required for the initial setup

Conclusion

By using a green meter, you can sell extra electricity to the national grid, and in return, you get relief in power bills. The current green meter rates are 19.32 per kilowatt-hour, so you can easily sell your electricity at this rate. However, Net metering not only decreases consumer bills but can also help to reduce the shedding issue in Pakistan.

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