Solar net metering systems have become a burden on grid users

Islamabad: Due to net metering, electricity consumers who drew power from the grid faced an additional burden of Rs. 103 billion last year.

According to official documents, it has been revealed that the solar net metering system added an extra burden of Rs. 100 billion on electricity consumers using the grid system last year.
A spokesperson for the Power Division stated that a feasible plan is being considered to prevent the burden on grid users in the future. Under this plan, the government may replace the solar net metering system with gross metering, where the electricity purchase rate would be 8 to 9 rupees per unit instead of the current 21 rupees per unit.

The Power Division is concerned that if this new policy is not implemented in time, the burden on the system due to the current rooftop solar policy will rise by Rs. 503 billion over the next 10 years, which would be borne by poor consumers.

Official documents also revealed that in 2021, there were 321 MW solar net metering connections, which have now increased to 3,277 MW in 2024. By 2034, this could reach up to 12,377 MW.

The documents further disclosed that 80% of consumers in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, Sialkot, and Rawalpindi have already joined the net metering system.

According to the documents, the number of net metering consumers has increased to 226,440, which is only 0.6% of the total 37 million electricity consumers.