Solar Energy Tariffs in Pakistan: Import, Export and Bill Guide

Official archive checked 23 October 2026 · Examples use hypothetical rates, not current quotations

There is no single rate for every solar customer

A solar household can deal with several different figures: the price paid for imported electricity, the value credited for exports, fixed charges, taxes and adjustments. These figures should not be combined into a single universal “solar tariff”. The applicable connection category, agreement and billing period need to be identified first.

This guide explains how to read and compare those figures. It does not quote an unverified current buyback rate or promise that one arrangement applies to every existing and new customer. For your own connection, request written confirmation from the electricity company and retain the relevant tariff notification and signed agreement.

Check official regulations and amendments

NEPRA’s legal archive lists the Prosumer Regulations, 2026 and subsequent amendments. That archive, the applicable tariff decision and your utility’s official information are starting points for checking the rules. A news report about a proposal is not enough evidence that the same proposal is the effective arrangement for your connection.

The official archive was checked on 23 October 2026. This revision removes earlier unsourced ranges presented as universal current rates. Always distinguish the publication date from the effective date and check whether later amendments change the provision you are reading. Ask which document applies if two sources appear to conflict.

Separate generation, self-consumption, import and export

Generation is the electricity the solar system produces. Self-consumption is the part used at the property rather than sent out. Imports are electricity taken from the grid, and exports are electricity sent to it. A high generation number does not mean that the same quantity was exported or credited on the bill.

For an illustrative day, suppose a system generates 20kWh and the household uses 12kWh of that production directly. The remaining 8kWh would be available for other system uses or export, depending on its design and operation. Night-time imports must be considered separately. This example is arithmetic, not a predicted daily result.

Understand the difference between kW and kWh

Kilowatts describe power at a moment, while kilowatt-hours describe energy over time. A live app reading of 3kW does not mean the system generated three units during the whole day. Your bill generally records energy quantities, so use the correct period and units when reconciling it with monitoring information.

A hypothetical constant 1kW load running for three hours consumes 3kWh. Real appliances can cycle or vary their power, so measured energy is often more useful than multiplying a maximum label rating by every hour of the day. Keep the assumptions clear when preparing a savings estimate.

Compare netting and separate-value billing carefully

Different arrangements can account for imported and exported energy in different ways. Do not assume that one exported unit always cancels one imported unit at the same monetary value. Read the applicable agreement and current rules for the actual calculation, including any treatment of time periods, credits and settlement.

Ask the utility to explain a worked example for your connection. Identify the imported units, exported units, applicable values and remaining charges on separate lines. This makes it easier to understand a bill than focusing only on a headline buyback figure shared on social media.

A hypothetical bill comparison

Suppose, solely to illustrate arithmetic, that imports of 100kWh are valued at Rs. 50 per kWh and exports of 80kWh at Rs. 10 per kWh. The import energy amount is Rs. 5,000 and the export value is Rs. 800, leaving Rs. 4,200 before other bill components. These assumed rates are not current tariffs.

If exports were incorrectly valued at the import rate, the estimated bill would be very different. That is why an installer’s savings proposal should state both assumptions explicitly. Fixed charges, taxes, adjustments and the actual settlement rules must be considered separately rather than assumed to disappear.

Build a cautious savings estimate

Start with your own bills and daytime consumption pattern. Ask the installer to show expected production by period, the portion used directly, any storage losses, exports and remaining imports. Keep the tariff assumptions and their dates beside the calculation so the estimate can be updated without rebuilding the whole proposal.

Use more than one scenario. Try lower generation, lower self-use and a different export value to understand sensitivity. These exercises do not forecast future rates; they reveal which assumptions drive the result. A project that depends entirely on one optimistic export assumption deserves closer examination before purchase.

Assess batteries using costs and use patterns

Storage can move some solar energy to another time, subject to equipment capacity and losses. It also adds purchase, installation and replacement costs. The difference between an import price and an export value alone does not establish whether a battery is economical or suitable for a particular household.

Compare the same backup requirement and operating pattern with and without storage. Ask for usable energy, discharge power, compatible inverter models and warranty terms. Keep resilience needs separate from a financial saving claim. Some households value backup even when a simple energy-cost comparison is not sufficient to justify the equipment.

Reconcile the bill with monitoring records

Keep bills, meter photographs where safe and relevant, and dated app reports for the same billing period. Check whether the app’s total generation is being confused with recorded exports. A monitoring outage can also create gaps in a report, so identify whether a missing figure reflects data availability or actual operation.

If a credit appears missing, contact the utility with the connection reference, billing period and relevant records. Ask which figure or provision explains the difference. Avoid changing meter or inverter settings to try to force a different bill. Metering and electrical faults should be handled through authorised qualified channels.

Questions before accepting an installer’s savings claim

Ask which current tariff and export arrangement the proposal assumes, whether the connection is already approved, and what happens if approval is delayed. Request separate estimates for production, self-use, exports and remaining imports. The same panel capacity can produce different household savings because usage timing differs.

Also ask what the project price includes and which recurring or replacement costs were omitted from the calculation. A payback period without these assumptions cannot be compared reliably. Keep the written equipment quote and the savings worksheet together, and revise both when the system specification changes.

How to keep your information current

Save the official document title, issue date, effective date and relevant connection category when checking a rule. Revisit the source before an application, renewal or material equipment change. A cached article or an old screenshot may remain online long after another notification has been issued.

For a correction request, send this website the page URL and a link to the dated official source. Do not send account credentials, identity records or a complete bill containing unnecessary personal details. We can review a public-source correction, while your utility remains responsible for the application of charges to your actual connection.

Official source: NEPRA regulations and amendments. Confirm the applicable tariff and agreement with your electricity company.