Electricity consumers relying on the grid system were burdened with an additional Rs. 103 billion last year due to the net metering system, according to official documents. The solar net metering system has been identified as the primary cause of this financial strain on consumers.
A spokesperson from the Power Division revealed that a feasible plan is under consideration to reduce the burden on grid consumers in the future. Under this proposed plan, the government may replace the solar net metering system with a gross metering system. This change would lower the electricity purchase rate from Rs. 21 per unit to Rs. 8-9 per unit.
The Power Division has expressed concerns that if a new policy is not implemented promptly, the current rooftop solar policy could impose an additional burden of Rs. 503 billion on the system over the next decade. This cost would ultimately fall on low-income consumers.
Official records indicate that solar net metering connections stood at 321 megawatts in 2021 but have surged to 3,277 megawatts in 2024. Projections suggest that this figure could rise to 12,377 megawatts by 2034.
The documents also highlight that 80% of consumers in major cities, including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, Sialkot, and Rawalpindi, have already adopted the net metering system. Currently, the number of net metering consumers has reached 226,440, representing just 0.6% of the total 37 million electricity consumers in the country.
The Power Division has emphasized the urgent need for immediate measures to address the challenges facing the electricity sector. These steps are crucial to alleviating the financial burden on consumers in the coming years.
