• By Best Solar Company PK
  • 29 Sep, 2026
  • Buying Guide
  • 8 min read

If you are planning rooftop solar in Pakistan this year, one rule now decides your entire system design: your **solar system size cannot exceed your sanctioned load**. Under the new NEPRA (Prosumer) Regulations, 2026, the day of oversizing your array is over — and getting the sizing wrong can stall your application for weeks. This buying guide explains the cap, the new Rs1,000/kW licence fee, and exactly how to right-size and enhance your sanctioned load *before* you apply.

What actually changed under NEPRA's 2026 rules

On 9 February 2026, NEPRA notified the Prosumer Regulations 2026 (SRO 251(I)/2026), which replaced the Net Metering Regulations, 2015. The headline shift is from **net metering to net billing**: you no longer swap units one-for-one with the grid. Instead, you buy grid power at your normal consumer tariff and sell surplus back at a much lower buyback rate — cut to roughly **Rs8.13 per unit**, down from around Rs25–27 previously. For a deeper look at the billing side, see our NEPRA net-billing rules explainer.

Two design rules matter most for buyers:

  • **System capacity is capped at your sanctioned load.** The old allowance of 1.5× your sanctioned load is gone; the new limit is effectively 1:1.
  • **Distributed generation is capped at 1 MW**, and no new connection is approved if generation on your transformer already reaches **80% of its rated capacity**.

The new goal is self-consumption, not export. Because the grid pays you roughly a quarter of what it charges you, every unit you use yourself during the day is worth far more than one you sell.

The Rs1,000/kW licence fee — who pays and who doesn't

The licence fee has been through several revisions in 2026, so this is where buyers get confused. As the rules stand now:

  • **Systems up to 25 kW:** no NEPRA licence requirement and **no per-kW fee**.
  • **Systems above 25 kW:** a **one-time Rs1,000 per kW** fee payable to NEPRA, plus the licensing process.
  • **Systems of 250 kW or above:** a mandatory load-flow study before approval.

So a 30 kW commercial system would carry a one-time fee of Rs30,000. Because this framework has been amended more than once this year, confirm the live position on the NEPRA website or with your installer before you sign anything.

Why the sanctioned-load cap changes how you buy

Your **sanctioned load** is the maximum load (in kW) your DISCO — LESCO, K-Electric, IESCO, MEPCO and others — has formally approved for your connection. It is printed on your bill. Many Pakistani homes carry a sanctioned load of just 2–5 kW, even though the family actually runs air conditioners, pumps and appliances that peak far higher.

Here is the trap: if your sanctioned load is 4 kW but you want a 7 kW solar system, NEPRA's cap will not let you register the full 7 kW. You must either shrink the system or get your load enhanced first.

| Sanctioned load | Max solar under 2026 rules | Licence fee | |---|---|---| | 3 kW | 3 kW | None (≤25 kW) | | 5 kW | 5 kW | None (≤25 kW) | | 15 kW | 15 kW | None (≤25 kW) | | 40 kW | 40 kW | Rs40,000 one-time | | 300 kW | 300 kW (+ load-flow study) | Rs300,000 one-time |

How to right-size your solar system in 2026

Right-sizing now means matching daytime self-consumption, not chasing export credits. A practical method:

1. **Pull 12 months of bills** and note your highest monthly units and your sanctioned load. 2. **Estimate daytime usage** — the loads that run while the sun is up (ACs, freezers, pumps, office equipment). This is what solar should cover first. 3. **Size the array to that daytime need**, staying within your sanctioned load. In most of Pakistan, 1 kW of panels yields roughly 4–4.5 units per day. 4. **Add batteries or shift heavy loads to daytime** rather than oversizing to export cheaply. 5. **Confirm transformer headroom** with your DISCO — if your feeder is near the 80% cap, approval can be refused regardless of your load.

**Original tip from our installs:** run your washing machine, iron and water pump between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Under net billing this simple habit can lift your effective savings by 15–20% versus a household that exports the same units at Rs8 and buys them back in the evening at full tariff.

How to enhance your sanctioned load before you apply

If your load is too small for the system you need, enhance it *first* — a bigger system will simply be rejected otherwise. The load-extension process is broadly the same across DISCOs:

  • **Apply for load extension** at your DISCO office or online portal (IESCO, for example, accepts online applications).
  • **Feasibility check:** the DISCO verifies your transformer and cabling can support the new load.
  • **Demand Notice:** you receive charges for any meter change, cabling or transformer upgrade.
  • **Pay and get approval:** once paid, your enhanced load is sanctioned — typically **15–30 working days** end to end.

Costs vary by category and the upgrades required, so budget a few thousand rupees for a small domestic increase and considerably more where a transformer or three-phase conversion is involved.

**One critical warning for existing solar owners:** consumers with valid net-metering agreements before the February 2026 cutoff are grandfathered on their old terms — but you can **lose those grandfathered benefits if you increase your sanctioned load**. Weigh the higher solar capacity against losing the far better legacy buyback rate before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Can my solar system be bigger than my sanctioned load in Pakistan?** No. Under the NEPRA Prosumer Regulations 2026, your registered solar (distributed generation) capacity cannot exceed your sanctioned load. The previous 1.5× allowance has been removed. To go bigger, enhance your sanctioned load with your DISCO first.

**How much is the NEPRA solar licence fee in 2026?** There is no per-kW fee for systems up to 25 kW. Above 25 kW, NEPRA charges a one-time Rs1,000 per kW. A 40 kW system therefore costs Rs40,000 as a one-time licence fee. Verify the current figure on NEPRA's website, as the rules were amended during 2026.

**What is the solar buyback rate under net billing?** Surplus units exported to the grid are now bought at roughly Rs8.13 per unit, down from around Rs25–27 under old net metering. This is why 2026 system design prioritises self-consumption over export.

**Should I enhance my load or just buy a smaller system?** If your daytime consumption genuinely needs more capacity, enhance the load. If you mainly wanted the extra size to export power, a smaller, well-matched system usually makes more financial sense now that export pays so little.

The bottom line

The 2026 rules reward homeowners and businesses who **size for their real daytime load and secure the right sanctioned load before applying**. Check your bill, confirm your transformer has headroom, enhance your load if needed, and only then finalise your array. Do it in that order and your net-billing application should sail through — get in touch with our team for a free load and sizing assessment.

**Sources:** Dawn · Business Recorder · Profit by Pakistan Today · NEPRA Prosumer Regulations 2026 (PDF)2026)%2009-02-26.PDF) · The Express Tribune

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.