Rs18-22 Evening Buyback: How the New ToU Plan Rewrites Solar Payback in Pakistan

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

For two years the story of rooftop solar in Pakistan has been one of shrinking rewards. First net metering was capped, then in February 2026 NEPRA replaced it with net billing and slashed the export rate for new users to around Rs11 per unit. Now a fresh proposal from the Power Division could flip the script for anyone willing to add a battery.

The idea is simple but powerful: pay **solar-plus-battery owners Rs18-22 per unit** to sell stored power back to the grid during the evening peak, roughly **5:00pm to 10:00pm**. That is nearly double the current daytime buyback rate, and it targets exactly the hours when the national grid is gasping for supply.

This article breaks down what the plan actually says, why the government wants it, and how it rewrites the payback math for a home or business considering solar battery storage in 2026.

What the Power Division has actually proposed

The proposal comes from Power Division Advisor Syed Faizan Ali, who has recommended introducing **Time-of-Use (ToU) net metering and net billing** with enhanced evening discharge rates.

Under this mechanism:

• Prosumers store solar energy in batteries during the day.
• They export that stored energy back to the grid during the evening peak (5-10pm).
• For those peak exports, they earn an enhanced rate of **Rs18-22 per kWh**, instead of the flat ~Rs11 net-billing rate.

The goal is to turn home and commercial batteries into a distributed grid-support tool. Pakistan's evening peak demand has now crossed **26,000 MW**, and the most expensive power the government buys is the electricity procured to cover those few brutal hours after sunset. Paying prosumers Rs18-22 is still cheaper for the system than firing up costly peaker plants.

It is important to be clear: as of August 2026, this is a **proposal under discussion**, not a notified regulation. NEPRA would still have to approve a ToU framework and issue the rates. Treat the Rs18-22 figure as the intended band, not a guaranteed tariff.

Why the timing makes sense

Two forces are colliding. First, Pakistanis are buying batteries at a staggering pace. Lithium-ion battery imports hit **6.004 GWh worth about Rs126 billion** between January 2024 and June 2026, with monthly volumes rising more than **1,600%** over that period. The hardware is already flooding in.

Second, the economics of daytime solar export collapsed after the NEPRA Prosumer Regulations 2026 ended one-to-one net metering. New solar users now sell surplus daytime power for roughly Rs11 per unit while buying it back in the evening at retail rates that can exceed Rs45. That gap is precisely the problem a ToU buyback is designed to bridge.

How this changes your payback math

Let us put numbers on it. Consider a household on a Time-of-Use tariff. According to NEPRA's 2026 ToU schedule, residential peak units cost around **Rs46.85 per unit**, versus roughly **Rs34.53 off-peak**.

Here is how the value of one evening unit compares across scenarios:

| Scenario | What you do with an evening unit | Value to you (Rs/unit) | |---|---|---| | No battery (net billing) | Import from grid at peak | -46.85 (you pay) | | Battery, self-consume | Avoid buying at peak | +46.85 (saved) | | Battery, daytime export | Sell surplus at net-billing rate | +11.00 | | Battery + proposed ToU buyback | Sell stored power at 5-10pm | +18 to +22 |

The headline insight is subtle. The proposed Rs18-22 buyback is **less** than the Rs46.85 you save by simply using your battery to avoid buying peak power. So the smartest play for most homeowners is still: charge the battery by day, run your own house on it at night, and only export whatever is truly surplus.

Where the ToU buyback shines is for **oversized systems and businesses** that store more than they can consume in the evening. Previously that extra energy was either wasted or sold for a measly Rs11. Under the new plan it earns Rs18-22 instead, nearly doubling the return on every surplus stored unit.

### A worked example

Say a commercial rooftop stores 30 kWh it cannot self-consume each evening:

• At today's daytime export rate: 30 × Rs11 = **Rs330/day** (~Rs9,900/month).
• At the proposed peak buyback: 30 × Rs20 = **Rs600/day** (~Rs18,000/month).

That extra ~Rs8,000+ per month can shave **a year or more off battery payback**, turning a marginal storage investment into a clearly profitable one. For a detailed system sizing walk-through, see our guide on choosing the right solar battery size.

Practical tips before you bet on the buyback

Drawing on what we see with real installations, keep these points in mind:

• **Do not oversize your battery just for the buyback.** Self-consumption at Rs46.85 beats export at Rs20 every time. Size for your own evening load first.
• **You will need a ToU (net) meter** and likely a compatible hybrid inverter that can schedule timed grid export. Confirm your inverter supports discharge scheduling.
• **Battery cycle cost matters.** A Rs20 export sounds great, but each cycle wears the battery. Factor in a rough Rs6-10/kWh throughput cost on cheaper lithium packs.
• **Existing net-metering users** still enjoy their legacy rate (around Rs25.32/unit) until their agreement expires, so switching frameworks may not benefit everyone.
• **Wait for the notification.** Sign contracts based on today's rules, not a proposal. Ask your installer to future-proof the wiring so you can enable timed export later.

What to watch next

The signals to track are whether NEPRA opens a formal ToU consultation, the exact peak window (it shifts seasonally, from 5-9pm in winter to 7-11pm in summer), and any minimum battery or metering requirements. If you are planning an installation this year, talk to our team at Best Solar Company PK about a hybrid, storage-ready design so you can capture the buyback the day it goes live.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Is the Rs18-22 solar battery buyback available right now?** No. As of August 2026 it is a proposal by the Power Division advisor and has not been approved by NEPRA. The current net-billing export rate for new consumers is roughly Rs11 per unit. Plan your finances around existing rules and treat the buyback as upside.

**Who benefits most from the ToU evening buyback?** Owners of larger solar-plus-battery systems, especially commercial sites, who store more energy than they consume in the evening. They currently sell surplus at ~Rs11; the ToU plan would pay Rs18-22 for those same peak-hour units.

**Should I use my battery to avoid buying power or to sell it?** For most homes, self-consumption wins. Avoiding a Rs46.85 peak purchase saves more than the Rs18-22 you would earn by exporting. Only export what you genuinely cannot use yourself.

**What equipment do I need to take part?** A ToU-capable net meter and a hybrid inverter that can schedule timed grid discharge during the 5-10pm window, plus a battery sized for your evening needs. Ask your installer to confirm both before purchasing.

The bottom line

Pakistan's proposed Rs18-22 evening buyback will not turn every rooftop into a cash machine, but it does something important: it gives batteries a second income stream at exactly the hours they are most valuable to the grid. Pair a right-sized battery with strong self-consumption, and you get the best of both worlds. Design your system to be storage-ready now, and you will be first in line when the ToU tariff arrives.

Sources: ProPakistani, Business Recorder, Profit by Pakistan Today, Bijli Bills – Peak Hours 2026

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.