• By Best Solar Company PK
  • 06 Oct, 2026
  • Solar Policy
  • 8 min read

Pakistan's rooftop solar owners have been living through months of policy whiplash, and the latest twist may be the most consequential yet. In a high-level meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed NEPRA and the Power Division to re-verify the slashed Rs8.13/unit **net-billing buyback rate** and file a review appeal to fully protect contracts already signed with existing solar consumers.

For anyone who has installed panels — or is about to — this is the single biggest question in the market right now: will the buyback rate be reversed, and who actually benefits if it is? Below, we break down exactly what the order means for new versus grandfathered solar owners, with concrete PKR figures.

What NEPRA actually changed in 2026

Under the Prosumer Regulations 2026, notified earlier this year, NEPRA ended the old one-for-one net-metering regime and moved new rooftop solar owners onto a **net billing** model. The difference is fundamental:

  • **Net metering (old):** one unit you export offsets one unit you import. Effectively you were credited at the full tariff, roughly Rs22–27 per unit.
  • **Net billing (new):** your imported units are billed at the full slab-based tariff, while your exported units are bought back at a separate, much lower rate.

That separate rate was set at just **Rs8.13 per unit** for new prosumers — down from the Rs25.32/unit (and in some readings close to Rs27) that net-metering users had enjoyed. That is a cut of more than Rs17 per exported unit, less than one-third of the old value. NEPRA also trimmed the agreement period from seven years to five, and a later amendment added a Rs1,000/kW fee.

The financial burden of roughly 466,000 solar consumers should not be shifted onto the 37.6 million grid users who pay the national tariff — the government's stated rationale for the change.

That logic is exactly what the review appeal now puts back on the table.

Why the PM stepped in

The Rs8.13 rate triggered immediate public backlash. Homeowners who had planned payback periods around a Rs20-plus export value suddenly faced math that no longer worked. Facing pressure, the Prime Minister directed the Power Division to:

  • **Re-verify** how the Rs8.13 figure was calculated and whether it reflects the true avoided cost of power.
  • **File a review appeal** with NEPRA so that existing agreements are honoured in full until they expire.
  • Protect public confidence in solar, which Pakistan still needs to cut its import bill and ease grid pressure.

NEPRA responded with a draft amendment confirming that consumers holding valid net-metering agreements as of the cut-off date would keep their old rates until their contracts run out. The re-verification of the headline Rs8.13 rate for new installs, however, is still live — which is where the possibility of a reversal comes in.

New vs grandfathered owners: who stands where

The practical outcome depends entirely on **when** your agreement was signed. Here is the current picture.

| Factor | Grandfathered (old net metering) | New prosumer (net billing) | |---|---|---| | Export mechanism | 1:1 net metering | Net billing (separate buyback) | | Buyback rate | ~Rs25.32/unit (full tariff) | Rs8.13/unit | | Agreement length | 7 years | 5 years | | Extra fees | None at signing | ~Rs1,000/kW | | Status | Protected by review appeal | Subject to re-verification |

If you are **grandfathered**, the review appeal is built to shield you: your Rs25.32-era rate should hold for the remaining years of your seven-year contract regardless of what happens to the Rs8.13 number. If you are a **new owner**, you are the one who actually gains from any upward revision — because your rate is the one under scrutiny.

What a possible rate reversal would mean

Let's be clear about what "reversal" realistically means. A full return to one-for-one net metering for new installs is unlikely; the government has signalled it wants net billing to stay. The live question is whether the **buyback number rises** from Rs8.13 toward something closer to the ~Rs11.30/unit the Power Division had earlier floated, or higher.

Consider a typical Lahore home with a 10 kW system exporting around 600 units a month:

  • **At Rs8.13/unit:** roughly Rs4,878/month in export value.
  • **At Rs11.30/unit:** roughly Rs6,780/month — about Rs1,900 more each month, or ~Rs22,800 a year.
  • **At the old Rs25.32/unit:** roughly Rs15,192/month — the economics grandfathered users still enjoy.

Even a partial upward revision meaningfully shortens payback for new systems. In our own installations we have seen that the smarter near-term play under net billing is to **size the system for self-consumption first and export second** — because every unit you use at home offsets a tariff of Rs40-plus, far more valuable than any buyback rate. For a deeper look at the mechanics, see our guide to the NEPRA net billing rules for 2026.

Practical steps to take right now

  • **Lock in before any cut-off tightens.** If you are close to installing, completing your agreement promptly can matter for grandfathering.
  • **Keep your paperwork.** Your signed agreement date is your proof of a protected rate — store it safely.
  • **Design for self-use.** Add load during daylight (EV charging, water pumping, laundry) so fewer units are sold cheap and more are consumed at full value.
  • **Watch the NEPRA notification, not the headlines.** A rate only changes when it is formally notified in the official amendment.
  • **Consider storage carefully.** Batteries let you store cheap daytime surplus for evening use instead of exporting at Rs8.13 — but run the numbers on battery cost versus the gap.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Will the Rs8.13 buyback rate definitely be reversed?** Not yet. The PM has ordered NEPRA and the Power Division to re-verify the rate and file a review appeal. A reversal or upward revision only becomes real when NEPRA issues a formal notification — so treat any number before that as proposed, not final.

**I already have net metering — am I affected?** If you hold a valid net-metering agreement from before the change, you are grandfathered. The review appeal is specifically meant to protect your existing rate (around Rs25.32/unit) until your seven-year contract expires.

**Does the review help new solar owners?** Yes — new owners are the ones on the Rs8.13 rate, so any upward revision benefits them most. Grandfathered users are already protected at the higher legacy rate.

**Is going solar still worth it in 2026?** Absolutely, especially if you size for self-consumption. With grid tariffs above Rs40/unit, every unit you use yourself saves far more than the buyback pays. See our net metering to net billing explainer for the full payback picture.

The bottom line

The Prime Minister's order to re-verify the Rs8.13/unit buyback rate and file a review appeal is genuinely good news — but read it correctly. Grandfathered owners get certainty that their old rates are protected, while new owners get a real shot at a better buyback number than Rs8.13. Either way, solar remains one of the strongest investments a Pakistani household or business can make in 2026. Want a system designed around the new rules? Talk to our team for a net-billing-optimised quote today.

Best Solar Company PK designs and installs reliable solar systems in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Taunsa Sharif and Karachi. Contact us for a free survey and the best advice for your home or business.