The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is set to amend the regulations notified on February 9, allowing existing solar consumers to continue selling excess electricity to the national grid at the same rates at which they purchase power.
The move comes as a relief for thousands of net metering users who had raised concerns over the earlier regulatory changes and their potential financial impact.
An important development has emerged for solar consumers. NEPRA has announced that the net
According to the notification, the authority has sought suggestions from stakeholders and relevant parties within 30 days on the proposed amendments.
The statement clarified that the proposed amendments will take effect from February 9. However, the existing policy and terms for current net metering consumers will remain unchanged.
NEPRA said that there will be no change in the rates or contracts of existing net metering users. Current consumers will continue to benefit from net metering instead of net billing.
According to the notification, existing consumers’ seven-year contracts and buyback rates will remain intact without any changes.
Meanwhile, new consumers will be subject to new regulations and the net billing system, with five-year contracts and a buyback rate based on the national average tariff.
It may be recalled that NEPRA had earlier issued a notification abolishing the old net metering system and introducing net billing.
Under the new system, if a consumer uses more electricity than they generate, they will have to pay for the consumed electricity at the prevailing tariff. Excess electricity will be purchased at the national average tariff instead of Rs27 per unit.
Under net billing, electricity buying and selling will be based on the national average tariff, with accounts settled at the end of each billing cycle. Any excess amount may be adjusted in the next bill or paid on a quarterly basis.
