ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The “revised” norms on net metering for solar customers in the country have been introduced by Pakistan. The net metering regulation has been modified after due consideration with relevant stakeholders and has been approved by the Ministry of Energy.
It has been revealed that the net metering agreement presently operational is soon to be replaced by a net billing agreement. It has also been made clear that the length of solar purchase agreements has been fixed at five years.
According to sources, instead of various surcharges that consumers used to pay in terms of net metering, consumers will have to receive various rates for every unit exchanged. It is expected that the rate for net billing will be around Rs 12 per unit.
According to the new regulation, any consumer with a connected load of less than 25 kilowatts is obliged to have a license from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).
Yet, before the regulation change, any residential, industrial, or commercial consumer with a connected load of less than or equal to 25 kilowatts did not have to have a license.
It has been reported that the Ministry of Energy, in collaboration with DISCOs and NEPRA, has finalized the process after conducting consultations for several months.
The ministry has also apprised the federal government that a continued presence without a policy transformation was no longer possible.
However, the energy ministry has clarified that the regulation of solar tariff levels in the industry is within the discretion of the NEPRA regulators.
