The federal government is working to cut the buyback rate for excess electricity while increasing the grid supply price for solar users.
Sources told ProPakistani that the federal government is revising the buyback tariff from Rs. 27 per unit to Rs. 8-9 per unit for solar users to ensure that all electricity consumers share the costs equitably.
The number of net metering users has surged from 224,000 in October 2024 to 283,000 in March 2025, transferring a Rs. 159 billion burden onto non-solar consumers, disproportionately benefiting a wealthier segment of society.
While the solar policy benefited early adopters, over time, it has created an unfair financial burden on nearly 40 million electricity consumers, who are now paying an extra Rs.1.5 per unit to subsidize solar net metering users.
Even with the adjusted tariffs, solar investments remain viable, with payback periods adjusted from 2 years to a reasonable 4-5 years, ensuring that solar adoption continues without unfair subsidies.
The government fully supports the continuation of the solar net metering policy but aims to adjust the tariff structure to ensure fairness and ease the financial strain on the majority of consumers.
It is pertinent to note that the Pakistan Muslim League-N government, under the leadership of Mian Nawaz Sharif and Power Minister Awais Leghari, introduced the solar net metering policy in 2018 to encourage renewable energy adoption and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The initial goal was to allow consumers to sell excess electricity back to the grid, lower their electricity costs, and promote sustainable energy solutions.
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That’s a good step. Cuz I think that 98% of the solar Users are wealthy people who could otherwise also pay hefty bills but they chose to use National Grid as backup and instead. Which wasn’t sustainable. Good initiative
Good for you! Remember to vote PMLN and PPP next time as well and spread the love.
Rs.1.5 out of Rs.70 per unit will be taken from net metering users and given back to IPPs/discos who are already getting unjustified rates for the cheap electricity. Non solar users wont get anything. The wealthy can easily buy lithium batteries and say goodbye to the grid. In fact, they are already doing it.
Who told u that ? 98% are rich ?
People are taking loans to get solar as grid is charging high prices while taking away electricity without notice.
Not to mention the fact that excess energy is sent to grid at cheaper rate. Why should someone who installed solar face reparations for creating their own electricity?
We pay sales tax and income tax without generating any income from condumer electricity.
You bot farm are caught lying
Everything you said is 100% wrong
So I said that Majority of Solar net Metering users in Pakistan belong to Upper Strata of our Society.(spending between 1-2 million Rupees in solar System installation)
AND you consider it a 100% wrong statement?
I’d love to hear how that is Not the case according to you. Please tell.
middle class are also installing. a 10 kw system cost 10 lac so its not just the wealthy . rich people driving around 10 crore landcruiser don’t need solar
Most solar users are not rich but either use their hard earned income to install solar but most also use loan financing to get solar as they are openly tired of load shedding and still high bills.
So yes you’re wrong.
Also the article is wrong as well.
Net metering rate is 19 not 27.
You’re delusional if you think banks in Pakistan give easy loans to lower middle class.
That’s why I said MOST of the people with net metering installed are upper class.
You merely saying NO without giving any reason doesn’t disprove it.
Atleast my reason of saying that most solar net meter users in Pakistan are from affluent class is rooted in the economic and fiscal reality of our country. Meanwhile you’re just saying words without any basis hoping people will believe it.
Get educated first of how our banking system works. Or how basic economics work
Ideally, the government should give PKR 65 credit per unit to solar users for proving cost free electricity to the National Grid like the Capacity charges.
The actual issue is of stupid contracts with IPPs not the solar users. The narrative of silar users is being used as a Scapegoat….
Both are the issues.
IPPs were signed at such a time when we had 18hrs plus loadshedding. So govt was in a rock and a hard place at that time. They wanted to have electricity in the system by hook or by crook. We tend to forget those times pretty easily, but they were dark times.
This solar issue is also akin to a circular debt issue if not nipped in the bud right now cuz it directly benefits upper class who had solar installed since eons.
So both are being addressed. It’s not rocket science
The bot farm is disliking your comment but not responding with facts
You’re an idiot if you are buying into that narrative. Solar production is good.
The real issue is the IPPs that are owned by your so-called govts relatives and friends.
Why don’t we reduce buyback to 0? Won’t that ease the burden more? I think so. Better to cut off entirely these corrupt solar people from exploiting our scarce budget resources which could be used to pay back the gargantuan debt we owe to the UAE, the Saudis, the Chinese, the Europeans, the Americans, IMF, WB, ADB, BIS, ECB, Other lenders etc. Even FinMin trying to approach BRICs bank to buy shares in ADB to increase lending options which India is preparing to block now. Better safe than sorry. Disable these rich solar users NOW! For a more better and bright future. Pakistan Zindabad! Zardari! Nawaz! Asim Paindabad!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 corrupt solar ? So solar uses are corrupt for producing their own electricity?
Sarcasm…
This is why an honest policy makers always plan and calculate the things at the bases of next 50 years but by hard luck in Pakistan there is no vision or a strategy to work on,the only agenda of all the governments is that how to keep them selves in rule! They make a policy one day, and next they they stop supporting their own policies which cast the poor nation in billions.The net metering policy was formed by PMLN in 2018 but now they are kicking their own policies and terrifs, because the IPP’S Became a headache for them,they did the Buying agreement with IPP’S on a non realistic price, this agreement turned into a blood cancer for the Pakistani economy, Trillions of dollars depth, Trillions of Rupees circular dead,Line losses, Government department are defaulters, these policy makers really don’t know how to handle the situation because they are political workers not the leaders,they don’t have qualification, education, awareness to help the poor nation,they come into power politically and that’s it
I think this a hypocritical statement that solar users are shift burden to the poor. As a matter of fact solar users are supplying much cheaper electricity to the government than private power companies. It is government’s own unfair agreements with the power companies which is a burden on people in the form of capacity charges.
Country is still suffering with shortfall of electricity and people are facing loadshading even in winter in spite of solar users electricity. Imagine if solar users don’t supply the electricity to the grid how much shortfall will be there….
So what is the right solution?
1- supporting power companies with their heavy capacity charges who instal power plants with government money and grilling the solar electricity producers who invest from their pocket and supply much cheaper electricity for the poor people to use.
2- supporting electricity users and grilling the power plants?
Load shedding was due to shortfall and incapability of IPPSs to full fill the need and once consumers shifted to other means they are being penalised. JUST WOW.
Why is this fake news Allowed ?
Net metering rates are 19 rs/unit
Who made this 27rs/ unit claim ?
Circular debt is towards IPPs .Not solar.
You want to reduce buyback rate but ignore the fact that solar consumers have to pay high charge ?
You are only creating more issues and increasing mistrust. No wonder this govt is a joke.
This is fake news .
First the buyback rate is 19rs/ unit not 27rs. How do I know this ? Your own article from last September says so.
Not to mention the fact that leghari admitted that it’s not existing users.
Also no one is supporting this and IMF already denied scrapping sales tax
The bot farm is angry that I spoke the truth.
Why should I pay for the inefficiency on part of Govt and why do electricity producers from Solar are being bashed. In this country u r responsible for ur own health, living, education, protection, u pay when u travel on roads, drill ur own bore for water then what is wrong with my own electricity?
Government is so useless that they can’t formulate a policy, so they are now shifting blame.
If the solarisation policy is so useless then why is “Our beloved CM” insisting on providing Solar System to selected Families. No vision, no direction, absolute Chaos and no responsibility. IPP was the miracle of NS they even have shares in these generation units and now his daughter and brother are playing innocent
No more be fooling of this foolish nation plz
U r absolutely right Mr Khurram
The pmln bot farm is secretly disliking but not a single in the bot farm is providing counters
middle class is also installing solar . get rid of excess capacity from ipps instead of targetting solar users
کیا بات ہے در فٹے منہ ایسے پالیسی بنانے والوں پہ اور ایسے پالیسیوں کے حمایتوں پر
It is just nonsense. Why net metering customers are being pressurized and threatened. I spent more than one million to install solar system and PM was also insisting to use solar power. Look at them. They think we are fool. They just want to make happy IMF. IMF is big enemy of muslims and specially Pakistani people. Why they don’t terminate agreement with IPPs. Why?????
This is a ridiculous step by the government. Rather than eliminating the in efficiency of distribution and non payment coupled with theft, the government is penalising the green energy proucer …
Masla yeh hai k Ganja Party needs to pay back IPPs. Pehle khud stupid contracts kiay huay they aur ab jese jese log solar pe shift kr rahe hain to non solar awam ki gaaliyon aur ghussay se bachnay k liay solar wali awam ki bajani start kr di hai inhon ne. Lanat ho in pe aur inki naslon pe.
Jinhon ne nahi lagwaya. Unka bill bhi aap denge…
What a high headedness.Slowly the consumer will shed away and will go on hybrid system.
Both Pmln and PPP have IPP plants and are raking in the loot, it’s a conflict to be owners of IPP and then manipulate the rates without production. Same thing with all the mills,no one else can get a licence. It’s a rigged scheme to steal from the population
Please donate your solar system to me if you guys don’t like the policy.
Waleed Qamar
451051889427863
Seema 5000 03181102872
Plz help me
All is typical BS unfortunately and there is not fairness as its claimed by the Gov
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