ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Power Division has requested the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to assess its existing regulatory system.
The Power Division plans to provide substantial benefits to solar customers who operate systems below 25kW through its proposal, which includes removing all license fees while allowing users to operate without needing a license.
Energy Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari issued directives that brought about this initiative, as he wants the government to support solar energy development while reducing costs for customers.
The Power Division has requested NEPRA to reinstate its previous regulations, which provided better support for small-scale solar users. The official statement from government officials indicates that the government supports solar energy while protecting consumer interests through its clean energy adoption program, which decreases expenses and removes unnecessary rules.
The Power Division showed how NEPRA’s recent decisions negatively affected solar users, yet the division requested NEPRA to restore previous rules, which provided better assistance to solar customers.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) stated to explain solar licensing procedures because incorrect information about the topic had started to circulate.
NEPRA has issued a statement that clarifies solar licensing procedures because false information about the procedure has been spreading. NEPRA officials reported that false information about solar licensing requirements had spread, which claimed all solar net billing customers needed NEPRA approval.
The distribution companies have the authority to approve connections that have a capacity that falls below 25 kilowatts. The NEPRA approval process does not apply to off-grid customers who need to establish their connections.
The organization explained that before the new regulations, NEPRA used to grant permission for connections that exceeded 25 kW. The authorities now require a one-time payment of Rs 1,000 for each kilowatt of solar power system that connects to the grid.
The officials confirmed that the government has not implemented any new taxes for solar energy. NEPRA implemented a fundamental alteration to its basic electricity tariff system during the month of April.
The new billing system will use electricity usage as its single measurement, which determines bill amounts. NEPRA has approved a complete tariff structure change to the federal government which submitted this request.
The decision has led to public concern about rising electricity costs that will affect all consumers throughout the nation, according to media sources. The new framework will establish fixed charges according to the authorized load of each consumer instead of their actual power usage.
The new system will start in January 2026 and will apply to all domestic users except for Lifeline consumers.
