If you own rooftop solar in Pakistan, or you’re about to install it, the single most important change this year isn’t the panel price — it’s the shift from net metering to net billing, which changes how the government pays you for the electricity you send back to the grid. In 2026, NEPRA replaced the old net metering system with a new net billing model, and the difference affects your payback period directly.
Here’s a plain-English breakdown of what changed, who it applies to, and whether going solar still makes sense.
What the switch from net metering to net billing changed
Under the NEPRA (Prosumer) Regulations, 2026, the regulator moved new rooftop solar consumers off net metering and onto net billing. The two systems sound similar but pay you very differently:
- Net metering (the old system): the units you exported were netted against the units you imported at roughly the same retail tariff — effectively around Rs 25–27 per unit.
- Net billing (the new system): your exported units are now bought back at a much lower, separately-set export rate of roughly Rs 8–11 per unit, while the electricity you buy from the grid is still charged at the full retail tariff (around Rs 55–65 per unit for many residential consumers).
In short: the grid now pays you less for surplus power than it charges you for the power you draw. The contract term for new prosumers has also been shortened from seven years to five years.
If you already have net metering, are you affected?
This is the question we’re getting most, so let’s be clear: existing net-metering consumers are protected under their current agreements for the remaining duration of those agreements. If you’re already connected, your existing terms continue — the new export rate applies to new applications.
The situation is still developing on the policy side. The Prime Minister has reportedly directed authorities to file an appeal aimed at protecting existing solar users, so there may be further adjustments. We’ll update this page as the position is finalised. For anything binding, always confirm the current rules with NEPRA and your local DISCO.
Does solar still make sense under net billing?
Yes — for most households it still does, but the maths has shifted from “sell surplus to the grid” toward “use as much of your own power as possible.”
Because you now earn far less for exported units than you pay for imported ones, the value moves to self-consumption. The best-value setups under net billing tend to:
- Size the system to daytime use rather than heavily over-sizing to export.
- Add storage so evening load runs off your own panels instead of expensive grid units. That’s why interest in solar batteries and inverters has risen sharply since the rule change.
- Shift heavy loads to daytime (water pumping, washing, ironing) to soak up your own generation.
With grid tariffs still high, avoiding a Rs 55–65 unit is worth far more than exporting one for Rs 8–11. The payback period is longer than it was under old net metering, but for most bill-payers it remains attractive — especially as panel prices stay low.
The cost side is still in your favour
The policy pays less for exports, but the hardware has never been cheaper. Tier-1 N-type panels are trading in the Rs 38–44 per watt range in mid-August 2026, and a 10% sales tax on imported panels (in effect since July 2025) is already priced in. You can see the exact, daily-updated numbers on our solar panel prices in Pakistan homepage.
Bottom line
Net metering is being phased out for new consumers in favour of net billing, with a lower buyback rate (around Rs 8–11 per unit) and a five-year term. Existing users keep their current agreements for now, and the policy may still be adjusted. Solar remains worth it for most households — the strategy just shifts toward self-use and storage rather than selling surplus back to the grid.
Sources: The Express Tribune — PM orders NEPRA appeal to protect existing solar users; Profit by Pakistan Today — NEPRA shifts to net billing; The Express Tribune — NEPRA rolls out new regulations. Always verify current rules with NEPRA and your DISCO.
Sources & references
Tariff, net-metering, and policy details on this page draw on the following official sources. Rates change often, so confirm current figures with the relevant authority or a licensed installer before you decide.
- NEPRA — National Electric Power Regulatory Authority: electricity tariffs and the 2026 shift from net metering to net billing.
- AEDB — Alternative Energy Development Board: solar policy, installer standards, and net-metering guidance.
- Your local distribution company (DISCO) — for example LESCO, K-Electric, IESCO, MEPCO, PESCO or QESCO — for area-specific tariffs and the net-metering application process.
