On March 14, 2025, Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approved a new net metering policy. This policy reduces the electricity buyback rate from Rs27 to Rs10 per unit. The aim is to alleviate the financial burden on regular consumers during a period of rapid growth in solar power adoption.
Increasing outages and rising costs have led to a significant rise in solar panel adoption. The number of net metering consumers has grown from 226,440 in October 2024 to an expected 283,000 by the end of the year. This surge has placed a financial burden of Rs159 billion on non-solar users in 2024, with projections suggesting that this could escalate to Rs4.24 trillion by 2034 if no action is taken, according to government data.
وفاقی حکومت کی جانب سے نئی نیٹ میٹرنگ پالیسی متعارف، تاکہ عام صارفین پر مالی بوجھ کم کیا جا سکے۔
حکومت نے یہ اقدام گرڈ صارفین پر پڑنے والے اس اضافی مالی دباؤ کو کم کرنے اور نیٹ میٹرنگ کا منصفانہ نظام نافذ کرنے کے لیے اٹھایا ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/f6Edzin9DD
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) March 13, 2025New Net Metering Policy 2025
Under the revised net metering policy in Pakistan, the government now purchases solar power at Rs10 per unit, down from Rs27. In comparison, peak-hour electricity imports cost Rs60 per unit, including taxes. Solar output has significantly increased, rising from 321 MW in 2021 to 3,299 MW in 2024, with projections suggesting it could reach 4,124 MW by December. This policy helps balance grid costs, as users of net metering are exempt from capacity payments.
دسمبر 2024 تک، 283000 تعداد میں نیٹ میٹرنگ صارفین کی وجہ سے تقریباً 159 ارب روپے کا اضافی بوجھ 4 کروڑ عام بجلی صارفین پر پڑا، جو 1.5 روپے فی یونٹ کے حساب سے وصول کیا گیا۔ pic.twitter.com/Wf7ZfdDycO
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) March 13, 2025Cost recovery extends from 3-4 years to 10-12 years as the government seeks to limit net metering growth. Affluent urban areas, which host 80% of users, underscore the policy’s focus on equity.
Read: Solar Net-Metering Changes Slash Tariff to Rs10
The net metering policy in Pakistan addresses the growing gap between solar energy users and traditional electricity consumers. As energy challenges increase, its effects on solar investment and the stability of the grid will influence the future of Pakistan’s power landscape.
