• By Best Solar Company PK
  • 08 Oct, 2026
  • Energy Savings
  • 8 min read

Every winter, Pakistani households face the same squeeze: gas pressure drops to a trickle just when you need heat most, and switching to electric heaters sends your bill into orbit. In December 2024 the government's answer was the **Winter Bijli Sahulat Package** — a flat **Rs26.07 per unit** rate on *extra* electricity you use above your normal baseline. With that scheme returning for the 2025–26 winter, the real question for 2026 is sharper than ever: does cheap winter power beat going solar — especially now that NEPRA has replaced net metering with **net billing**?

Let's run the actual numbers.

What the Winter Bijli Sahulat Package actually offers

The package is not a blanket discount. It is a **flat Rs26.07/unit tariff on incremental consumption** — the units you burn *above* your historical benchmark for that same month — during December, January and February.

  • Domestic consumers get up to **Rs26/unit** relief on that extra usage.
  • Commercial consumers pay around **Rs22.7/unit**, industry around **Rs15.05/unit**.
  • The discounted rate typically applies to incremental use up to about **25% above your benchmark**; beyond that, normal slab rates return.
  • It is designed to be **subsidy-neutral** — the government fills idle winter generation capacity rather than paying a true subsidy.

The logic is simple: your normal peak domestic slab can cost **Rs48–60/unit all-in** once fuel adjustment, taxes and surcharges stack up. Paying Rs26 for the *extra* heating units is a genuine saving versus that — and the whole point is to tempt you away from gas.

The package doesn't make electricity cheap. It makes *extra* electricity cheaper than your top slab — which only helps if you were going to run heaters anyway.

Rs26 electricity vs gas heating: the honest comparison

Here is how the main winter heating options stack up for a typical household, using current 2026 figures.

| Heating option | Effective cost | Reality check | |---|---|---| | Gas heater (protected slab) | Rs200–350/MMBTU + Rs600 fixed | Cheapest *if* you qualify — but pressure often collapses in peak winter | | Gas heater (non-protected) | Rs500 up to Rs1,450/MMBTU + Rs1,500–3,000 fixed | More than 4× the protected rate; often costlier than it looks | | Electric heater, normal tariff | Rs48–60/unit | Punishing on your top slab | | Electric heater, Bijli Sahulat | **Rs26.07/unit** | Good deal *only* for the incremental window | | Electric heater on daytime solar | **Rs5–9/unit** | Cheapest of all — if the sun is out |

The takeaway: the Rs26 package genuinely beats running heaters at full tariff, and for non-protected gas customers it can even rival or beat gas. But it loses decisively to **solar self-consumption**, where your own panels deliver power at a lifetime cost of roughly **Rs5–9 per unit** over a 25-year system life.

How NEPRA's new net-billing meter changes everything

This is the part most articles miss. On **9 February 2026**, NEPRA notified new prosumer regulations that end net metering for *new* solar consumers and move them to **net billing**. Under net billing:

  • Units you **import** from the grid are charged at the **full prevailing slab tariff**.
  • Units you **export** are bought back at a much lower rate — roughly **Rs8.13/unit** for new prosumers, down from the old ~Rs25–27.
  • The one-for-one offset is gone: an exported unit no longer cancels an imported unit.
  • New agreements run **5 years** instead of 7.

Crucially, an amendment on **16 February 2026** **grandfathered existing prosumers** — anyone who signed a net-metering agreement *before* 9 February 2026 keeps their old terms (around **Rs25.32/unit**) until that contract expires. We explain the full mechanics in our guide to the NEPRA net-billing rules 2026.

Why does this matter for winter heating? Because net billing **punishes exporting and rewards self-consuming**. Winter is your lowest solar-production season and your highest heating-demand season — which is exactly when you want to *use* every solar unit at home instead of selling it for Rs8. Running your electric heater, geyser or heat pump in daytime hours turns that same unit into Rs26–60 of avoided grid cost. Net billing, almost by accident, makes winter solar self-consumption the single smartest play you have.

So does the package beat solar this winter?

For one winter in isolation, the Bijli Sahulat Package is a tidy tactical win — use it. But it is a **three-month rate, not an asset**:

  • It only discounts *incremental* units, not your base load.
  • It evaporates on 1 March every year.
  • It does nothing for the other nine months, when your bills are highest (summer AC season).
  • It relies entirely on the grid you are trying to escape.

Solar is the opposite — a one-time capital cost that cuts your bill all year for 25 years. A quality **10kW** residential system runs roughly **Rs1.6–2.2 million** installed in 2026 and generates around **14,000–16,000 units a year**, paying back in **3–5 years** at today's tariffs. After that, the power is effectively free.

**Our practical verdict:** treat the two as partners, not rivals. This winter, lean on the Rs26 package for heating to save on gas and top-slab power. But if you are serious about year-round savings, the net-billing era actually strengthens the case for solar — provided you **size your system for self-consumption**, not for export. Add a small battery or shift heavy loads (geyser, heater, washing) to daylight hours and you sidestep the stingy Rs8 buyback entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Is the Winter Bijli Sahulat Package available in 2026?** The package was introduced for winter 2024–25 as a three-month relief (December–February) and has been offered again for the 2025–26 winter. Always confirm the current notification on your DISCO or the Power Division's channels, as benchmarks and dates are set each year.

**Does the Rs26/unit rate apply to my whole bill?** No. It applies only to the *extra* units you consume above your own historical benchmark for that month, generally up to about 25% more. Your base consumption is still billed at normal slab rates.

**Should I delay going solar because of the new net-billing rules?** Not necessarily. Net billing lowers the value of *exported* units, but solar you consume yourself still saves you the full Rs48–60/unit grid tariff. Sizing for self-use keeps payback strong — often 3–5 years. Waiting just means more full-price bills in the meantime.

**Can I use both the package and solar together?** Yes, and it's ideal. Use daytime solar for heating when the sun is out, and lean on the discounted Rs26 incremental rate for evening or cloudy-day heating instead of full-tariff power or weak gas pressure.

**Are existing net-metering customers affected by the 2026 changes?** No. Prosumers with agreements signed before 9 February 2026 are grandfathered and keep their original buyback rate (around Rs25.32/unit) until their contract expires.

The bottom line

The Winter Bijli Sahulat Package is a smart seasonal tool — grab the Rs26/unit relief to beat expensive gas and top-slab heating this winter. But it is a three-month patch, not a solution. With net billing now favouring self-consumption, solar remains the only option that cuts your bill in every season, for decades. Use the package this winter — and plan your solar system for the many winters after it.

*Ready to size a system built for the net-billing era? Talk to our team for a self-consumption-first design.*

Sources:

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.