K-Electric Net Metering
A checklist of K-Electric documents, time limits and common rejection reasons.
Net billing and financing
Net Metering and Net Billing for Solar in Karachi
Pakistan changed its solar export rules in 2026. This page explains what replaced net metering, how a K-Electric application works, and what it means for your system.
- ✓ What changed in 2026
- ✓ K-Electric application steps
- ✓ Paying for solar
What changed: from net metering to net billing
Under net metering, a solar home sent extra power to the grid and got units credited at a high rate, reported at about Rs 26 per unit. In February 2026 Pakistan's power regulator, NEPRA, notified new prosumer regulations that replace this with net billing.
Under net billing, the utility buys your exported power at a lower rate, reported at roughly Rs 10 to 11 per unit. You pay for the power you import at the normal tariff. The two are billed separately.
Applications filed up to 8 February 2026 were to be handled under the previous framework, after a Power Division directive on 19 February. Reports differ on how existing net metering customers are treated, so check your own agreement with K-Electric.
Net metering and net billing compared
This table summarises the main differences as reported in early 2026. Final details can change, so confirm with K-Electric.
| Point | Net metering (older) | Net billing (new applications) |
|---|---|---|
| Price paid for exports | About Rs 26 per unit, as reported | About Rs 10 to 11 per unit, as reported |
| Billing | Exports offset imports | Imports and exports billed separately |
| System size limit | Up to 1.5 times sanctioned load | Tied to sanctioned load |
| New contract term | Seven years | Five years |
| Licence fee | Earlier rules differed by system size | Rs 1,000 per kW at application |
The figures come from news reports of the NEPRA regulations and from K-Electric's own guidelines. See the sources below.
How a K-Electric application works
K-Electric published net billing guidelines on 13 April 2026. These are the steps and the time limits it lists.
- 1
Apply online
The application goes through a PPIB pre-qualified vendor, who uploads your documents on the K-Electric net metering page. You get a case ID and login by SMS and email.
- 2
Qualification check
K-Electric lists a time limit of 5 working days for qualification, if all prerequisites are met.
- 3
Technical review
The technical review is listed at 15 working days. A discrepancy notice, if needed, follows within 3 working days.
- 4
Agreement and estimate
For qualified cases K-Electric lists 14 working days to issue the agreement and the estimate.
- 5
Pay and install the meter
You pay the estimate within 7 working days. K-Electric lists 15 working days after payment to install the bi-directional meter and activate the connection.
Documents and costs to expect
K-Electric lists these items for a residential application. Companies and trusts have extra papers.
- CNIC copy of the owner, with name and address matching the K-Electric bill.
- Latest K-Electric bill, matching the CNIC.
- Vendor checklist, filled in and authenticated, and the vendor's PPIB certificate.
- Inverter data sheet and inverter settings on the vendor's letterhead, stamped and signed.
The generation licence fee is Rs 1,000 per kW, paid by pay order at application. K-Electric applies to NEPRA on your behalf. You also bear the cost of meter replacement. A connected load that does not match the sanctioned load must be regularised before you apply.
What net billing means for your system design
Exports now earn far less than the power you save by using your own solar. If you export 10 units on a day and the grid price you avoid is Rs 37 to 55 per unit, using those units at home is worth several times more than selling them at about Rs 11. The Dawn report gave import rates in that range, before taxes.
So design for self-consumption. Run heavy loads in daylight, consider a battery to shift solar power into the evening, and keep the array within your sanctioned load. We build the estimate around your own usage pattern.
Paying for solar
There are three common ways to pay: cash, bank financing and seller instalments. Banks in Pakistan have offered solar financing, and JS Bank, for example, has a product called Smart Roshni Solar Financing. Terms, markup and eligibility change, so check the current offer with the bank.
If a seller offers instalments, ask for the total amount you will pay, the monthly amount, and the cash price. The gap between the cash price and the total instalment price is the real cost of the plan. Also ask what happens if you want to settle early.
If you plan to finance, tell us early. We will give you a clear written quotation that you can take to the bank.
FAQs
Questions people ask us
Short answers. For your own property, send us your electricity bill and roof details.
Ask on WhatsAppFor new applications, net billing replaced it from February 2026. Applications filed up to 8 February 2026 were to be processed under the previous framework. Check your case with K-Electric.
News reports put the new export rate at roughly Rs 10 to 11 per unit. The rate can change, so confirm the current figure with K-Electric or NEPRA.
K-Electric's guidelines list time limits for each stage, which add up to several weeks when everything is in order. Missing documents or transformer limits can make it longer.
K-Electric lists Rs 1,000 per kW, paid by pay order. NEPRA also reported this fee as part of its April 2026 changes.
Yes, for most homes, when it is sized for own use. Savings come mainly from the power you use directly. A system sized to export a lot is the weaker choice now.
No. We are not PPIB pre-qualified, so we do not file K-Electric applications. We design, supply and install the system. The application must go through a PPIB pre-qualified vendor. Tell us early so the design fits their requirements.
Sources
- K-Electric Net Billing Guidelines, 13 April 2026
- Nepra pulls the plug on net-metering, Dawn
- Net metering billing: who pays the price for Pakistan's new solar regime, Dawn Prism
- Net metering applications filed before Feb 8 to be processed under previous regulations, ARY News
- NEPRA imposes Rs1,000/kW fee in major policy shift, Profit
- JS Smart Roshni Solar Financing, JS Bank
Rules and figures on this page were checked in October 2026. They change, so confirm the current position before you commit money.
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Plan a system that works under net billing.
Send your K-Electric bill and your sanctioned load. We will size a system for your own use and give you a free estimate.