Net-Metering File Stuck at Your DISCO? Inside the 1,355-Application Backlog and How to Get Energised Fast in 2026

• By Best Solar Company PK
• 23 Jul, 2026
• Net Metering
• 9 min read

You paid the installer. The panels are bolted to your roof. The inverter hums every sunny afternoon — and yet your electricity meter still runs forward only, billing you at full slab rates while your rooftop feeds free units into the grid for nothing in return. If that sounds like your situation, you are one of thousands of Pakistanis whose net-metering file quietly froze inside a distribution company (DISCO) queue.

In May 2026 the problem finally became a national headline. The Power Information Technology Company (PITC) reported that **1,355 net-metering applications** — all registered *before 8 February 2026* — were still sitting unprocessed at the ex-WAPDA DISCOs, some of them stuck for **more than six months**. Power Minister Awais Leghari responded with a hard deadline: clear the entire backlog and energise every pending connection **by 1 June 2026**.

This article explains exactly what jammed those files, why the *date stamped on your application* may be worth several lakh rupees over the life of your system, and the concrete steps you can take to get your own connection energised without waiting another six months.

The 1,355-file backlog: what actually happened

To understand the jam, you have to understand the calendar. On **9 February 2026**, NEPRA's new **Prosumer Regulations 2026** took effect, replacing the old "net metering" (unit-for-unit exchange) with a **net billing** model for new applicants. Anyone who filed *before* the cut-off was promised processing under the older, far more generous rules.

Earlier in February, the Power Division did exactly that — Minister Leghari approved **5,165 pending applications under the old rules**, adding roughly **250.8 MW** of rooftop capacity to the grid. That should have been the end of it.

But by late May, PITC's data showed a fresh problem: 1,355 of those pre-8-February files had *still* not been installed or energised, despite the clear instruction to process them. On 22–24 May the Power Division issued what it called a **"final warning,"** ordering DISCOs to clear the backlog within **10 days** — i.e. by 1 June. Leghari didn't stop at a deadline. He warned that:

• **Administrative action** would be taken against Superintending Engineers (SEs), Executive Engineers (XENs) and Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) of the worst-performing DISCOs;
• **Bonuses would be withheld** from officers who failed to improve; and
• DISCOs found **deliberately delaying** applications would be **penalised**.

Why your file got stuck: the transformer-tagging problem

Here is the part almost nobody explains to homeowners. The single biggest technical cause of the rejections was **transformer tagging**.

Every consumer meter in Pakistan is linked in the DISCO's system to a specific **distribution transformer** (the "PMT" on your street). PITC found that huge numbers of transformers had been **incorrectly tagged** to consumer profiles. When the software then added up the "sanctioned load" hanging off a transformer, it produced **artificial overloads** — the dashboard showed a transformer as full or over capacity when in reality it had room to spare.

The result: the system **auto-rejected** perfectly valid net-metering and net-billing applications, because it wrongly believed the local transformer or feeder couldn't take another connection. Officers then treated the rejection as final and moved on. Your file wasn't refused by a person who looked at your roof — it was killed by a tagging error in a spreadsheet.

This matters because of a second 2026 rule change: under the Prosumer Regulations, your **solar system size cannot exceed your sanctioned load**. So if your sanctioned load is understated in the DISCO record, or your transformer is mis-tagged, your application can be shrunk or bounced before a human ever reviews it.

Why the date on your file is worth lakhs

Do not treat this as mere paperwork. The financial gap between the two regimes is enormous:

• **Old rules (agreements valid as of 9 Feb 2026):** exported units are credited at roughly **Rs 25.32/unit**, close to what you pay, under a **7-year** agreement.
• **New net billing (fresh applicants):** exported units are bought back at a slashed **buyback rate reported around Rs 8.13–11/unit** (linked to the National Average Energy Purchase Price), on a shorter **5-year** contract, with imports still charged at full slab tariff.

If your application carries a **pre-8-February 2026 registration date**, you are legally entitled to the old regime — which can mean a difference of **Rs 15+ per exported unit**. Over a decade, on a typical 10 kW home system exporting thousands of units a year, that difference runs well into the lakhs. That is precisely why letting a mis-tagged, "rejected" old-rules file die quietly is so costly: re-applying today puts you on net billing.

How to get your connection energised fast in 2026

The June-1 push created pressure and paperwork trails you can use. If your file is stuck:

• **Pull your reference/tracking number** and confirm the *registration date* on record. If it is before 8 February 2026, state in writing that you are entitled to processing under the pre-Prosumer-2026 rules.
• **Ask specifically whether your case was rejected for "transformer capacity" or "sanctioned load."** If so, request a **transformer re-tagging / load verification** — this is the exact error PITC flagged, and DISCOs have been instructed to fix it.
• **Verify your own sanctioned load** on your bill and make sure your proposed system size does not exceed it; if it does, apply for a **load extension** first.
• **Escalate in writing to the XEN/SE** of your sub-division, citing the Power Division's clear-the-backlog directive and the 1 June 2026 deadline. A dated email or application creates accountability the officers now answer for.
• **Use the complaint channels:** your DISCO's complaint cell, the **PITC/Power Division** grievance portal, and NEPRA's consumer complaint mechanism. Attach your feasibility report, paid challans and installation photos.
• **Keep every receipt** — demand notice, Distributed Generation licence fee (NEPRA's **Rs 1,000/kW**), and the **bi-directional AMI meter** payment (roughly **Rs 18,000–28,000**). A complete file moves faster than one with gaps.

A clean application from a NEPRA-registered installer typically takes **three to four months** end-to-end; a stuck one can be revived in weeks once the right error is named. If you're unsure which regime applies to you, our guide on net billing vs net metering breaks down the numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Was the 1,355-application backlog actually cleared by 1 June 2026?** The Power Division ordered all DISCOs to install and energise the pending connections by 1 June, backed by penalties on named officers. If your specific file is still not energised after that date, that itself is grounds for escalation — quote the directive and the deadline in your complaint.

**My file was registered before 8 February 2026. Which rules apply to me?** The old net-metering regime (unit exchange, ~Rs 25.32/unit, 7-year term). The Power Division explicitly directed that all applications filed before 8 February be processed under the previous rules. Insist on this in writing and keep proof of your registration date.

**What is "transformer tagging" and how do I know it hit my file?** It's the link in the DISCO system between your meter and its street transformer. Bad tagging created false "overload" readings that auto-rejected applications. Ask your DISCO whether your case was refused for transformer or feeder capacity; if yes, request re-tagging and load verification.

**Can I install a system bigger than my sanctioned load?** No. Under the Prosumer Regulations 2026 your net-metering/net-billing system cannot exceed your sanctioned load. If you want a larger system, apply to increase your sanctioned load first, then size the solar accordingly.

**If I apply fresh today, do I get the old rates?** No. New applicants fall under net billing, with a buyback rate reported around Rs 8.13–11/unit and a 5-year contract. That is why reviving a genuine pre-8-February file — rather than re-applying — can be worth lakhs over the system's life.

**How much does the process cost besides the panels?** Budget for NEPRA's Distributed Generation licence fee of about Rs 1,000/kW (so ~Rs 10,000 on a 10 kW system) plus a bi-directional AMI meter of roughly Rs 18,000–28,000, depending on your DISCO.

*Sources: Dawn, Pakistan Today, ProPakistani, TechJuice — 1,355 backlog, TechJuice — 5,165 approved, Profit by Pakistan Today — net billing shift, Express Tribune — new regulations. Rates and fees change; confirm current figures with NEPRA and your DISCO before deciding.*

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.