ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power Division Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari has intervened to resolve a growing controversy over the non-crediting of electricity units for net metering consumers, ordering an immediate review of Power Purchase and Management Company (PPMC) directives that had left many consumers without compensation for power supplied to the national grid.
Following the minister’s directions, the disputed instructions were revised, leading to the restoration of unit credits for affected consumers.The issue surfaced after several net metering consumers — particularly those with solar systems exceeding their approved distributed generation (DG) capacity — reported that they were not credited at all for electricity exported to the grid during the previous billing cycle.
Clarifying the government’s position, the Power Division stated that denying full credit was not in line with policy. Under the revised directives, only the electricity units exported beyond the approved capacity will be excluded from credit, while all units supplied within the licensed limit will be credited as per net metering regulations.
“Consumers cannot be deprived of their rightful entitlements,” the minister said, emphasising that corrective measures were taken immediately after the issue was brought to notice. “There will be no compromise on protecting the legitimate rights of electricity consumers.”
In line with the revised policy, instructions have been issued to all distribution companies (Discos) to implement the changes with immediate effect. Consumers whose exported units were not credited in earlier bills will receive necessary adjustments in the next billing cycle.
Officials believe the decision will bring relief to thousands of net metering consumers and help restore confidence in Pakistan’s net metering regime, which plays a key role in promoting renewable energy, reducing pressure on the national grid, and encouraging private investment in solar power.
The intervention underscores the government’s intent to balance regulatory compliance with consumer protection, ensuring that policy enforcement does not unfairly penalise electricity producers contributing clean energy to the system.
