• By Best Solar Company PK
  • 27 Sep, 2026
  • Net Metering
  • 8 min read

If you are going solar in Pakistan this year, the single fastest way to lose your concessions is to ignore the **Export MDI Check** on your sanctioned solar capacity. Since NEPRA notified the Prosumer Regulations, 2026 (SRO 251(I)/2026)2026)%2009-02-26.PDF) on 9 February 2026, your DISCO now actively monitors whether your system stays within your sanctioned load — and exceeding it can trigger the withdrawal of your grandfathered net-metering benefits. This guide explains, in plain terms, how the check works and how to stay safely compliant.

What is the Export MDI Check?

Every electricity connection in Pakistan has a **sanctioned load** — the maximum kW your DISCO (LESCO, K-Electric, MEPCO, IESCO and others) has officially approved for your premises. A typical home sits at 3–5 kW; commercial connections run higher.

The **Maximum Demand Indicator (MDI)** is the metering function that records the highest demand your connection draws — and, on a bi-directional meter, the highest power you *export* back to the grid. The Export MDI Check is simply the DISCO comparing your recorded maximum export (and combined demand) against your sanctioned load.

If your recorded demand or export consistently overshoots your sanctioned capacity, the DISCO treats your installation as an unauthorised load extension — and your case can be reclassified.

Under the 2026 regime, solar capacity **cannot exceed your sanctioned load**. Want a 10 kW system on a 5 kW connection? You must first apply for a formal **load extension** before installation, not after the MDI flags you.

Why exceeding sanctioned capacity is now so costly

Before 2026, exports were swapped unit-for-unit at retail value under net metering. That is gone. The new net-billing model splits import and export completely:

  • **Imported units** are billed at the full government slab tariff (which can climb well past Rs 60/unit in the highest residential slabs, plus taxes and surcharges).
  • **Exported units** are bought back at a much lower rate — roughly **Rs 8–10 per unit** for new prosumers, versus the **Rs 25–26 per unit** that pre-February 2026 net-metering consumers were locked into.

Here is the penalty that hurts: existing net-metering consumers with a valid agreement as of 9 February 2026 are **grandfathered** at the old ~Rs 25/unit rate until their agreement expires. But if you *upgrade your sanctioned load* to legalise an oversized array, your connection is reclassified as a **new connection** — and you drop straight onto the low net-billing buyback rate. You keep your panels; you lose the tariff that made them pay off.

| Factor | Grandfathered net metering | New net billing (2026) | |---|---|---| | Export buyback | ~Rs 25.32–26/unit | ~Rs 8.13–10/unit | | Import billing | Netted against export | Full slab tariff | | Contract term | 7 years | 5 years | | Trigger to lose old rate | Load upgrade / reclassification | Applies by default |

How to size your system correctly

The safe rule of thumb: **size your inverter and array to your sanctioned load, not to your roof.** A few practical checks:

  • **Confirm your sanctioned load first.** It is printed on your bill and in your connection agreement. Do not rely on your electrician's estimate.
  • **Keep inverter AC capacity at or below sanctioned load.** A 5 kW connection generally supports a ~5 kW inverter. Panel (DC) capacity can be modestly higher for clipping efficiency, but the *export* MDI must not breach your sanctioned kW.
  • **Size for self-consumption, not export.** With buyback at Rs 8–10/unit but imports at Rs 40–60+/unit, every unit you consume on-site is worth far more than one you sell. Right-sizing to your daytime load beats over-building for export.
  • **Mind the transformer 80% rule.** No new connection is allowed once solar on your local distribution transformer reaches 80% of its rated capacity. On a 100 kVA transformer, that caps the whole street at ~80 kW combined — so apply early.
  • **Systems of 250 kW and above** must complete a mandatory load-flow study before approval.

How to declare and stay compliant

Compliance is a paperwork problem before it is a technical one. Follow this sequence:

1. **Match capacity to sanctioned load** — or file a **load-extension application** with your DISCO *before* buying equipment if you genuinely need more. 2. **Use only NEPRA Approved Equipment List** inverters and panels (IEC/CE/TUV certified, with anti-islanding protection). Non-listed gear gets rejected at inspection. 3. **Apply for interconnection and NEPRA concurrence.** No premises may export until formal approval — the concurrence — is granted. 4. **Install a bi-directional (net) meter** so your import and export MDI are recorded correctly and transparently. 5. **Review your first few bills** to confirm your export MDI reads within your sanctioned kW. Catching drift early lets you adjust inverter export limits before the DISCO does.

One original tip from field experience: **set an export cap in your inverter's software.** Most hybrid inverters on the Approved List let you limit grid export to a fixed kW. Capping export just below your sanctioned load is the cleanest insurance against an accidental MDI breach on a bright, low-consumption afternoon.

For deeper background, see our explainers on net billing vs net metering and choosing a NEPRA-approved inverter.

Frequently Asked Questions

**What happens if my solar export exceeds my sanctioned load?** Your DISCO's Export MDI Check flags the breach. It can require you to apply for a load extension, which reclassifies your connection as new — moving you from the grandfathered ~Rs 25/unit buyback to the ~Rs 8–10/unit net-billing rate, and in some cases suspending your net arrangement until corrected.

**Can I install a bigger system than my sanctioned load in 2026?** Not for grid export. Your net-metering/net-billing capacity is capped at your sanctioned load. You may install more panels for off-grid or battery self-consumption, but the portion that exports must stay within your sanctioned kW, and the maximum facility size is 1 MW.

**Will upgrading my sanctioned load cancel my old net-metering rate?** Yes, in most cases. Upgrading typically triggers reclassification as a new connection, so you lose the grandfathered rate and fall under the 2026 net-billing buyback. Weigh the extra export income against the tariff you would forfeit before applying.

**How do I check my current sanctioned load?** It is stated on your monthly electricity bill and in your original connection agreement. If unclear, request confirmation in writing from your DISCO's commercial office before sizing your system.

The bottom line

The Export MDI Check turns sanctioned solar capacity from a formality into a hard compliance line in 2026. Size to your sanctioned load, use Approved-List equipment, cap your inverter's export, and secure NEPRA concurrence before you switch on. Do that and your system stays legal — and profitable. Talk to Best Solar Company PK for a compliant, correctly-sized design before you commit to panels.

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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.