Solar net metering has helped consumers pay less by reducing the impact of higher electricity rates in Pakistan.
Solar-powered homes and businesses are no longer just cutting their own bills – they’re now helping bring down electricity costs for the entire country.
Official documents show that distribution companies (DISCOs) collectively purchased 573.7 million units of electricity from net metering consumers over the past four months. This surge has come despite ongoing proposals to slash net metering tariffs, proving that solar users are becoming an increasingly important part of Pakistan’s power mix.
Zero-Fuel Cost, Real Savings
Electricity generated under net metering comes from rooftop solar systems, which have no fuel cost. Once panels are installed, the sun is free.
Because of this, the fuel cost of solar power injected into the grid is effectively zero, and NEPRA has now started incorporating this into its Fuel Charge Adjustment (FCA) calculations. That means when DISCOs buy more solar power, the overall fuel cost pool goes down – and every consumer, even those without solar, benefits through slightly lower FCAs on their monthly bills.
Officials say the rising share of net-metered units has directly contributed to fuel cost stability, offering a much-needed cushion at a time when imported fuel prices and capacity charges continue to pressure electricity tariffs.
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Four Months of Strong Solar Inflow
Month-wise figures highlight the growing contribution of rooftop solar:
• July: 115.095 million units
• August: 111.4 million units
• September: 142.6 million units
• October: Highest procurement of all four months
Among the DISCOs, MEPCO led with 157.764 million units purchased, followed by IESCO (139.7 million) and LESCO (134.255 million).
Other companies also recorded notable inflows:
• GEPCO: 57.6 million units
• FESCO: 46.5 million units
• PESCO: 26 million units
• HESCO: 37 million + 39 million units under another net metering inflow
• SEPCO: 16.5 million units
• QESCO: 17.4 million units
• TESCO: 0.59 million units
These numbers show that solar is no longer a niche, urban luxury – it’s steadily becoming a system-level input to Pakistan’s grid.
Read more: Govt abolishes zero-bill facility for solar net metering
Debate Over Tariffs, But Reality on the Ground Is Clear
While policymakers and power sector stakeholders continue to debate of minimizing net metering tariffs, the data tells a different story:
• Solar-fed net metering is helping lower fuel costs for everyone.
• It is giving DISCOs access to a cheap, daytime power source exactly when demand is high.
• It offers households and businesses a way to protect themselves from rising bills, while still contributing to the grid.
For now, net metering has quietly emerged as Pakistan’s cheapest source of electricity at the margin – and its growing role claims that any future policy decisions will have to balance revenue concerns with the very real relief it is already providing to millions of consumers.