Net Metering Old Rules: How to Push Your Pre-Feb-8 Application Through Now

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

If you applied for rooftop solar net metering before 8 February 2026 and your file is still stuck at your DISCO, there is genuinely good news. Federal Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari has ordered every distribution company — including K-Electric — to process these pending net metering applications under the **old 1:1 rules**, not the new, far less generous net-billing regime. This article explains who qualifies, what the old net metering old rules actually pay, and the concrete steps to force a delayed application over the line in 2026.

What actually changed — old net metering vs new net billing

For years, Pakistan ran a **1:1 net metering** system under the 2015 regulations. Every unit your panels exported to the grid was credited against a unit you imported, effectively at your retail tariff of roughly **Rs 25–27 per unit**. Export more than you consumed, and the surplus was bought back near the national reference sale price.

Under NEPRA's new **Prosumer Regulations (net billing)**, that changed sharply. Instead of a one-to-one credit, exported units are now paid at the National Average Energy Purchase Price (NAEPP) — around **Rs 10–11 per unit** — while you still buy grid power at full retail rates. The buyback contract term was also cut from seven years to five. In short, the new system roughly halves the value of every unit you send to the grid and stretches out your payback period.

That single sentence is why the pre-Feb-8 window matters so much. Two identical households on the same street can now be on completely different tariffs simply because of when their paperwork landed.

Who qualifies under the old rules

The order applies nationwide to all DISCOs and K-Electric. Based on the Power Division's directive, you fall under the old net metering old rules if:

• Your net metering **application was received on or before 8 February 2026**.
• You **paid your demand notice** (the DISCO's inspection/connection fee) — the qualifying cases are those where the demand notice was cleared, with the payment cut-off referenced as 9 February 2026.
• You had **completed all prescribed formalities** and were simply waiting on the DISCO to verify, sign or energise the connection.

According to the Power Division, **5,165 consumers** had applied by the 8 February cut-off, together representing about **250.8 MW** of rooftop capacity. If you are one of them, the minister's instruction is explicit: no political or financial exclusions, full transparency, and no unnecessary procedural delays.

Applications filed **after** 8 February fall under net billing — there is no grandfathering for them, so don't assume a late file qualifies.

Old rules vs new rules at a glance

| Factor | Old net metering (pre-Feb-8) | New net billing | |---|---|---| | Export credit | ~1:1, near retail tariff (Rs 25–27/unit) | NAEPP ~Rs 10–11/unit | | Import price | Full retail tariff | Full retail tariff | | Contract term | 7 years | 5 years | | Typical payback | ~2.5–4 years | ~5–7 years | | Governing rule | 2015 Net Metering Regulations | Prosumer Regulations (net billing) |

For a typical 10 kW home system exporting a few hundred surplus units a month, the difference between Rs 27 and Rs 11 per exported unit can add up to **Rs 40,000–70,000 a year** — which is exactly why clearing a pre-Feb-8 file is worth the effort.

How to push a stuck application through now

DISCOs have been directed to re-verify and clear the backlog, and NEPRA has tasked the Power Information Technology Company (PITC) with auditing pending connections in the system. But bureaucracies move when you push. Here is a practical, first-hand sequence that works:

1. **Gather your proof of timing.** Pull out your application acknowledgement, the dated demand notice, and the bank challan/receipt showing you paid before 9 February 2026. This is your single most important evidence — it proves your "accrued right."

2. **Visit the DISCO's net metering / commercial office in person.** Ask them to confirm in writing where your file sits: field inspection, agreement signing, or NEPRA licence issuance. Cite the minister's directive that pre-Feb-8 applications must be processed under the old rules.

3. **Use helpline 118.** The Power Division has pointed consumers to the **118 helpline** to lodge complaints about delays. Register a formal complaint and note the complaint number.

4. **Escalate to the Chief Executive of your DISCO.** Send a written application (keep a stamped "received" copy) referencing your demand-notice date and the nationwide order. Copy the XEN of your sub-division.

5. **File with NEPRA if ignored.** If the DISCO still stalls, submit a complaint to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA){target="_blank" rel="noopener"} — the regulator that issued both the old and new frameworks. Attach every dated document.

6. **Follow up weekly.** Applications move in the order they are chased. A polite, documented weekly follow-up — in person or by email — keeps your file on top of the pile.

One insider tip from installations we've tracked: ask specifically whether your **agreement has been forwarded for NEPRA's licence/registration**. Many "stuck" files are actually parked between the DISCO signing the agreement and the licence being generated — a stage a single phone call from the DISCO can unblock.

If you're still choosing equipment while you wait, read our guide on sizing a home solar system in Pakistan and how net metering pays back your investment.

Don't sign a net-billing agreement by mistake

Some field staff, working off the newest templates, may hand pre-Feb-8 applicants a **net-billing agreement** at Rs 10–11/unit. Do not sign it. Politely insist on the **net metering agreement** under the old 2015 regulations, and reference your demand-notice date. Signing the wrong contract can waive the very right the minister's order protects.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Does the old-rules order apply to K-Electric customers too?** Yes. The minister directed all distribution companies, and K-Electric was named specifically. Karachi applicants who filed before 8 February 2026 qualify on the same terms as consumers under LESCO, IESCO, MEPCO and other DISCOs.

**My application was filed before 8 February but I hadn't paid the demand notice yet — do I qualify?** The qualifying cases are those where the demand notice was paid (the payment cut-off referenced is 9 February 2026). If you filed in time but hadn't received or paid a demand notice, raise it directly with your DISCO and NEPRA, as your situation may need case-by-case verification.

**How much better are the old rules, really?** Old net metering credits exports at roughly Rs 25–27 per unit (near retail), versus about Rs 10–11 per unit under net billing — and gives you a 7-year contract instead of 5. For most homes that means a payback period years shorter.

**What if my DISCO keeps ignoring me?** Escalate in writing to the DISCO's CEO, log a complaint on helpline 118, and file a formal complaint with NEPRA attaching your dated documents. The order explicitly bars unnecessary delays, so a documented paper trail is your strongest lever.

The bottom line

If your rooftop solar file was in the system before 8 February 2026 and your demand notice was paid, you are legally entitled to the old 1:1 net metering old rules — a genuinely more valuable deal than net billing. The order exists; the challenge is administrative. Bring your dated proof, insist on the correct agreement, use helpline 118, and escalate to NEPRA if needed. Push now, while the directive is fresh and DISCOs are under instruction to clear the backlog.

*Sources: DAWN{target="_blank" rel="noopener"}, NEPRA{target="_blank" rel="noopener"}.* ```

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.