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

Pakistan's solar rules just took a sharp turn — and this time it could work in your favour. A new **TOU net billing** proposal from the Power Division would pay rooftop solar owners **Rs18–22 per kWh** for battery-stored electricity they push back to the grid during the 5–10pm evening peak. After eighteen months of bad news for prosumers, this is the first policy signal that rewards batteries instead of punishing exports.

If you have panels, are about to install them, or are weighing a battery, this changes the maths. Here's what the proposal actually says, why it exists, and how TOU net billing flips solar economics toward storage in 2026.

What is TOU net billing and why now?

Time-of-Use (TOU) net billing means the grid pays you a **different rate depending on the hour** you export. Instead of one flat buyback price, evening exports — when demand and generation costs are highest — earn a premium.

The proposal, floated by a Power Division advisor in August 2026, sets an enhanced evening discharge rate of **Rs18–22/kWh between 5:00pm and 10:00pm**. The logic is simple grid economics. Pakistan's evening peak demand has now crossed **26,000 MW**, and the sun has already set by the time that peak hits. The system operator has to buy expensive peaking power at exactly the moment solar output falls to zero.

A battery bridges that gap. Charge it with cheap daytime solar, discharge it into the grid at 6pm, and you're supplying power precisely when the country is most short of it.

TOU net billing turns your battery from a backup device into an income-generating asset — you're paid most for the electricity the grid needs most.

How Pakistan's net metering rules changed in 2026

To understand why this matters, you need the recent backstory. Under the **NEPRA (Prosumer) Regulations 2026** — drafted in December 2025 and finalised in February 2026 — the old **net metering** unit-exchange system was replaced by **net billing**.

The difference is brutal for exporters:

  • **Net metering (old):** every unit you exported offset a unit you imported, effectively valued at the retail tariff (~Rs25–27/kWh).
  • **Net billing (new):** you sell exports at a low buyback rate — expected around **Rs11/kWh** — while still buying grid power at up to **Rs50/kWh**.

That gap gutted the payback on export-heavy systems overnight. Overselling to the grid at Rs11 and rebuying at Rs50 is a losing trade. (Existing net-metering consumers are grandfathered until their current agreements expire.)

The market responded fast. Homeowners stopped optimising for export and started optimising for **self-consumption plus storage**. Lithium battery imports hit a record — roughly **6.004 GWh worth about Rs126 billion** between January 2024 and June 2026, with a single-month peak of 652 MWh in April 2026.

How TOU net billing flips the economics toward batteries

Here's the pivot. Under flat net billing, a battery only saves you money by avoiding grid purchases. Under **TOU net billing**, the same battery can also *earn* Rs18–22 for every stored unit you export at peak — nearly double the flat Rs11 daytime rate.

That second revenue stream is what changes the investment case. Consider a typical setup:

| Scenario | Buyback rate | Battery role | Effective return | |---|---|---|---| | Old net metering | ~Rs25–27/kWh (offset) | Optional/backup | High export value, no battery needed | | Flat net billing (2026) | ~Rs11/kWh export | Self-use only | Battery saves ~Rs40/kWh vs grid | | **TOU net billing (proposed)** | **Rs18–22/kWh at peak** | **Charge day, export 5–10pm** | **Save on self-use + earn peak premium** |

The battery now does double duty: it shields you from Rs50 grid tariffs during the day and evening, *and* it monetises the 5–10pm window. For a household exporting even 5–8 units each evening, that peak premium adds up across a year.

What it means for your system size and budget

A quick reality check on cost. Lithium (LiFePO4) storage in Pakistan currently runs roughly **Rs40,000–55,000 per kWh**:

  • A **5kWh** LiFePO4 pack: about **Rs185,000–310,000** depending on brand (Pylontech, Dyness, Crown, GoodWe).
  • A **10kWh** wall-mount system: up to **Rs700,000–800,000** for premium units.

Under flat net billing, that spend is justified mainly by dodging expensive grid units. If TOU net billing is notified, the same battery gains a paying customer — the grid itself — every evening. That shortens payback and makes a **hybrid inverter + battery** the sensible default for new installs, not a luxury add-on.

Practical tip from the field: size your battery to your **evening load plus a small export buffer**, and insist on a hybrid inverter that supports scheduled/time-based discharge. Without programmable discharge windows, you can't target the 5–10pm slot — and targeting that slot is the entire point.

For a deeper cost breakdown, see our guides on net metering vs net billing in Pakistan and choosing the right solar battery size.

Is the Rs22 rate confirmed yet?

Not yet — and this is important. As of August 2026 the Rs18–22/kWh evening rate is a **Power Division proposal**, not a notified NEPRA tariff. Battery sector growth has outpaced the rulebook: safety standards, grid-connection rules, battery registration, and formal storage tariffs are all still being written.

So treat this as a strong directional signal, not a locked-in guarantee. Check the official NEPRA and Power Division websites for the final notification before banking specific numbers. We'll update this page when the tariff is formalised.

Frequently Asked Questions

**What is TOU net billing in Pakistan?** Time-of-Use (TOU) net billing is a proposed system where the grid pays solar owners a higher rate — Rs18–22/kWh — for electricity exported from batteries during the 5–10pm evening peak, instead of a single flat buyback rate. It rewards you for supplying power when the grid needs it most.

**How much can I earn under the Rs22/kWh peak rate?** The proposal offers Rs18–22 per kWh for battery-stored power exported between 5:00pm and 10:00pm. Your actual earnings depend on battery size, how much you can spare after covering your own evening load, and the final notified rate. It's roughly double the ~Rs11/kWh flat daytime buyback.

**Do I need a battery to benefit from TOU net billing?** Yes. The premium applies to power exported during the evening peak, after sunset — which only a battery (charged with daytime solar) can supply. Solar panels alone cannot export at 6–9pm.

**Is TOU net billing available right now?** No. As of August 2026 it is a Power Division proposal under review, not a notified NEPRA tariff. Verify the final rules on the NEPRA and Power Division websites before making purchase decisions based on the exact rate.

The bottom line

For two years, Pakistan's policy shift from net metering to net billing pushed solar owners toward self-consumption and quietly penalised exports. **TOU net billing** is the counter-move: it gives your battery a paying job during the country's most expensive power hours.

If the Rs18–22/kWh peak rate is notified as proposed, the smart 2026 setup is clear — solar panels, a hybrid inverter, and a right-sized lithium battery programmed to discharge into the grid from 5 to 10pm. Ready to plan a storage-first system? Talk to our team at Best Solar Company PK for a battery sizing and payback estimate built around the new rules.

**Sources:** Business Recorder, ProPakistani, 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.