Govt's Final Warning to DISCOs: 1,355 Pre-Feb-8 Net Metering Files to Get Old Unit-for-Unit Rules

• By Best Solar Company PK
• 02 Aug, 2026
• Net Metering
• 8 min read

If you applied for rooftop solar net metering in Pakistan before 8 February 2026 and your file is still stuck at your DISCO, there is finally good news. The federal Power Division has issued what amounts to a final warning to distribution companies: process the **1,355 pending net metering applications** filed before the cut-off — and process them under the **old unit-for-unit rules**, not the new net-billing regime.

This is the closing window to lock legacy net metering. Once it shuts, every new applicant moves to the far less generous system. If your application is on that list, the next few weeks matter more than anything else you'll do for your solar payback.

What actually changed on 9 February 2026

For a decade, Pakistan ran rooftop solar on the **SRO 892(I)/2015 net metering regulations**. The mechanic was simple and generous: every unit (kWh) your panels exported to the grid offset one unit you later imported — a true **unit-for-unit** swap, regardless of price.

On **9 February 2026, NEPRA replaced those 2015 regulations** with the new **Prosumer Regulations 2026**, switching the country to a **net-billing** model. Under net billing, your exports and imports are no longer swapped one-for-one. Instead:

• You **buy** grid electricity at your normal, full retail tariff.
• You **sell** surplus solar back at a separate, much lower **buyback rate** — slashed from **Rs 27 to around Rs 10 per unit**.
• Settlement is in **rupees**, not units.

The government has also moved to **cap new net metering contracts at five years** (down from seven) and given NEPRA power to revise the buyback rate periodically. For new applicants, NEPRA has floated a gross-metering buyback tariff near **Rs 11.30 per unit**.

Why the 1,355 pending applications became a flashpoint

Here's the unfair part. All **1,355 of these applications were submitted before the 8 February cut-off**, meaning they were legally filed while the old 2015 regulations were still in force. But they sat unprocessed — many for **over six months** — because of administrative backlogs, incomplete inspections, and slow approvals inside various DISCOs.

The delay was not the applicant's fault. Yet if left unprocessed past the rule change, these homeowners and businesses risked being pushed onto net billing simply because a DISCO clerk hadn't stamped their file in time.

That's exactly what the Power Division has now moved to prevent.

The directive: 10 days, old rules, no excuses

The Power Division has directed all DISCOs to **clear the 1,355 stuck applications within roughly 10 days**, and the Minister for Power has confirmed that **every net metering application received on or before 8 February 2026 will be processed under the previous (unit-for-unit) regulations**.

In plain terms: your filing date — not your approval date — decides which rules apply. If you got your application in before the cut-off, the old, better terms are legally yours, and DISCOs have been told to honour that.

Business bodies such as KATI had earlier pressed NEPRA and the government to notify a clear cut-off date so pre-change applicants weren't penalised. This directive is the resolution they were pushing for.

Old rules vs new net billing — the numbers that matter

| Factor | Old net metering (pre-8 Feb) | New net billing (Prosumer 2026) | |---|---|---| | Export mechanism | Unit-for-unit swap | Cash buyback | | Buyback value | Full retail offset (~Rs 45–65/unit equivalent) | ~Rs 10–11.30/unit | | Contract length | 7 years | 5 years | | Rate stability | Fixed offset | NEPRA can revise periodically | | Typical payback | ~3–5 years | ~8–12 years |

The bottom line: a system that paid back in **3–5 years** under the old rules can stretch to **8–12 years** under net billing. On a typical **10 kW residential system costing roughly Rs 1.6–2.2 million** installed in 2026, that difference is worth **hundreds of thousands of rupees** over the contract life. Locking the legacy terms is genuinely worth chasing.

What to do right now if your file is pending

From our on-ground experience helping homeowners across Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad push stuck files through, here is the practical checklist:

1. **Confirm your submission date is on or before 8 February 2026.** Dig out your dated acknowledgement or online portal reference. This is your single most important document. 2. **Call and visit your DISCO's net metering / STG (Small Standardised Generation) desk.** Ask directly whether your application is on the 1,355-file clearance list and cite the Power Division directive. 3. **Fix any pending inspection or paperwork gap immediately** — a missing inverter certificate or incomplete load-approval form is the usual reason a file stalls. 4. **Get everything in writing.** Request an email or stamped acknowledgement confirming your application is being processed under the old unit-for-unit regulations. 5. **Escalate if ignored.** If your DISCO drags past the deadline, file a complaint with **NEPRA** and reference the directive — the government has publicly committed to old rules for pre-cut-off files.

An original tip from the field: applicants who show up with a **one-page printout of the directive plus their dated submission slip** get taken seriously far faster than those who phone in vaguely. DISCO desks respond to specifics.

For a deeper walkthrough of the approval process, see our guide on how net metering approval works in Pakistan and our breakdown of the new NEPRA net-billing buyback rates.

Should new applicants still go solar?

Absolutely — but with clear eyes. Even at a **Rs 10–11 per unit buyback**, rooftop solar in Pakistan still slashes your bills because the biggest saving comes from **self-consumption**, not export. When your panels power your own AC, fridge, and pumps during the day, you avoid buying grid units at **Rs 45–65+**. Sizing your system to match daytime load — rather than oversizing for export — is now the smarter design. Our team covers this in the best solar system size for 2026 bills guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

**What is the 8 February 2026 cut-off for net metering in Pakistan?** It is the date NEPRA's old 2015 net metering regulations effectively closed. Applications filed on or before 8 February 2026 are to be processed under the old unit-for-unit rules; the Prosumer Regulations 2026 (net billing) took effect from 9 February 2026.

**How do I know if my application is in the 1,355 pending files?** Contact your DISCO's net metering desk with your dated submission acknowledgement. Ask them to confirm in writing whether your file is on the Power Division's clearance list being processed under the old regulations.

**What's the difference between net metering and net billing?** Net metering swaps your exported units for imported units one-for-one. Net billing pays you a fixed cash rate (around Rs 10–11.30 per unit) for exports while you buy grid power at full retail — a much less favourable arrangement for solar owners.

**Will my existing net metering agreement change?** No. Existing consumers on valid multi-year agreements keep their terms until the contract expires. The new rules apply to fresh applicants after the cut-off. This directive protects those who applied before 8 February but hadn't yet been approved.

The window is closing — act now

The 1,355 pending applicants have been handed a genuine reprieve: the legacy unit-for-unit terms are theirs by right, and DISCOs have been ordered to deliver. But directives don't process files — people do. If your application is on that list, be the applicant who shows up with documents, cites the directive, and refuses to be quietly rolled onto net billing.

**Need help pushing your pending net metering file through, or planning a system sized for the new rules?** Talk to Best Solar Company PK today — we'll audit your application status and make sure you lock every rupee of the old-rules advantage before the window shuts.

Sources: The Nation · Geo.tv · TechJuice · Dawn

Best Solar Company PK designs and installs reliable solar systems in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Taunsa Sharif and Karachi. Contact us for a free survey and the best advice for your home or business.