How to Apply for Net Metering in Pakistan
Apply through your DISCO (LESCO, MEPCO, FESCO, etc.) by submitting a net metering application with your solar system details. Requirements: a grid-connected solar system (on-grid), AEDB registration, and bi-directional meter. Approval takes 30-90 days. Once active, excess solar electricity you generate is sold back to the grid, reducing your bill.
How Net Metering Works in Pakistan
Net metering is the mechanism that makes residential solar economically compelling in Pakistan. Without it, excess solar electricity generated during peak sunlight hours is wasted. With net metering, that excess feeds into the grid, and your DISCO credits you for it on your electricity bill. Your meter literally runs backward when you're producing more than you're consuming.
The financial impact is significant: a 10 kW system on a house consuming 500 units/month can reduce the grid bill to near-zero — and during sunny months, the homeowner earns credits that offset cloudy months. Over a year, many net metering households see 70-90% reduction in electricity costs.
Step-by-Step Net Metering Application
- Install an on-grid solar system. The system must be grid-connected (not off-grid) with an approved grid-tie inverter.
- Register with AEDB. Apply for AEDB (Alternative Energy Development Board) registration — see AEDB registration guide. This is a prerequisite for net metering.
- Submit application to your DISCO. Contact your DISCO's net metering department. Submit: AEDB registration number, solar system specifications (panels, inverter model, capacity), single-line diagram, and your electricity account details.
- DISCO inspection. A DISCO engineer inspects your installation to verify it meets safety and technical standards.
- Bi-directional meter installation. If approved, the DISCO replaces your standard meter with a bi-directional meter that records both import (from grid) and export (to grid).
- Net metering activated. Your system is now connected, and billing adjusts to net metering rates.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| System type | On-grid (grid-tied) — off-grid systems don't qualify |
| Minimum capacity | 1 kW (no practical upper limit for residential) |
| AEDB registration | Mandatory — apply at aedb.org |
| Bi-directional meter | Installed by DISCO at your cost (Rs. 5,000-15,000) |
| Approved inverter | Must be grid-tie certified by the DISCO |
| Processing time | 30-90 days from application to activation |
Planning your system? See how many panels you need, on-grid vs off-grid comparison, and solar ROI calculator guide. For the Roshan Gharana subsidy: solar panel subsidy program.
How Net Metering Billing Works
Each month, your bi-directional meter records two numbers: units imported from the grid (what you consumed) and units exported to the grid (what your solar system produced in excess). Your bill shows the NET difference. If you imported 300 units and exported 200 units, you pay for 100 units only. If you exported more than you imported, the excess carries forward as a credit to the next month.
At year-end, some DISCOs settle remaining credits — either carrying them forward or paying you at a predetermined rate (typically lower than the retail rate). Check your DISCO's specific net metering tariff policy.
On-grid only. Off-grid and hybrid systems with battery backup don't qualify for net metering unless the grid-tie component is separately metered. If your system disconnects from the grid during outages (which is correct safety behavior), it reconnects and resumes net metering when power returns.
Net Metering — Homeowner Questions
Net metering lets you sell excess solar electricity back to the grid. Your DISCO installs a bi-directional meter that credits you for the electricity your solar system exports, reducing your bill by the net difference between what you consume and what you produce.
Install an on-grid solar system, register with AEDB, then submit a net metering application to your DISCO with system details. The DISCO inspects, installs a bi-directional meter, and activates net metering. Full process: AEDB registration.
Typically 30-90 days from application submission. The timeline depends on your DISCO's processing speed, inspection scheduling, and meter availability.
Only on-grid (grid-tied) systems qualify. Off-grid systems with no grid connection and hybrid systems with battery-only backup don't qualify. The inverter must be grid-tie certified.