- New contracts legitimate for 5 years, with chance of extension.
- Proposed new buyback tariff to be relevant on new installations.
- Rooftop photo voltaic installations end in 3.2bn unit decline in grid gross sales.
ISLAMABAD: Amid prevailing photo voltaic increase within the nation, the Nationwide Electrical Energy Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has suggested a significant coverage shift looking for to exchange the present web metering system with a gross metering mechanism for rooftop photo voltaic customers, citing a rising monetary burden on standard grid customers, The Information reported on Monday.
Below the proposed Nepra Prosumer Laws (NPR), a newly drafted 18-page doc uploaded to the regulator’s web site, future home photo voltaic customers will commerce electrical energy with their respective distribution corporations (Discos) by gross metering reasonably than web metering.
Nonetheless, current web metering customers with legitimate seven-year contracts will proceed to promote their surplus electrical energy at Rs22 per unit till the expiry of their agreements.
For brand spanking new photo voltaic installations, electrical energy exports will probably be compensated below a gross metering framework at a proposed buyback tariff of Rs11.30 per unit.
These contracts will probably be legitimate for 5 years and could also be prolonged on a mutual foundation. Nepra has invited suggestions from stakeholders and customers in 30 days and should maintain a public listening to earlier than finalising the laws, an official mentioned.
The shift follows considerations that the present web metering regime is imposing a monetary burden of as much as Rs2 per unit on non-solar grid customers. In a gathering held on October 22, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Energy Division and Nepra to assessment and confirm the buyback tariff and its broader affect earlier than finalising reforms.
Below web metering, electrical energy exported to the grid is adjusted towards electrical energy imported, decreasing customers’ payments. In distinction, gross metering compensates customers at a hard and fast feed-in tariff for all electrical energy generated and exported, whereas electrical energy consumed from the grid is billed individually at retail tariffs.
Based on official knowledge, the speedy growth of rooftop photo voltaic has resulted in a 3.2 billion unit decline in grid electrical energy gross sales in FY2024, inflicting practically Rs101 billion in income losses for distribution corporations. This has contributed to a mean tariff enhance of Rs0.9 per kWh for different customers.
Energy Division projections warn that by FY2034, misplaced grid gross sales might rise to 18.8 billion models, translating right into a Rs545 billion affect and a possible tariff enhance of Rs5-6 per unit. “The grid is successfully getting used as battery storage for photo voltaic customers,” an power official mentioned, noting that web metering customers promote surplus energy at excessive buyback charges whereas avoiding mounted system prices.
Officers argue that the imbalance is clear as new utility-scale photo voltaic tasks are being contracted at under Rs10 per unit, making the Rs22 per unit web metering buyback unsustainable. The proposed gross metering tariff of Rs11.30 per unit is geared toward stopping additional tariff escalation for grid-connected customers.
The speedy progress of photo voltaic web metering — now estimated at 6,000MW nationwide — has additionally raised operational considerations. Winter electrical energy demand typically falls to eight,000-9,000MW, growing the danger of extra daytime technology.
Power planners warn that unchecked growth might threaten grid stability, citing Sri Lanka’s expertise, the place a sudden photo voltaic surge triggered a nationwide blackout.
Authorities have additionally recognized circumstances of misuse, together with customers with sanctioned a great deal of 10kW exporting as much as 20kW to the grid. To handle this, Discos have begun putting in sensible meters able to real-time monitoring and export management.
