2 min read
Pakistan’s solar net metering has reached its highest level to date, easing fuel cost pressure on millions of electricity consumers. Power companies confirmed that strong rooftop solar generation helped create a negative fuel cost adjustment (FCA) of Rs0.65 per unit for October 2025.
The fuel charge adjustment fell after generation costs dropped to Rs8.71/kWh against the reference cost of Rs9.36/kWh. This created a total relief impact of over Rs6.27 billion as 9.63 billion units were sold during the month. Officials said the biggest factor behind the reduced burden was the surge in net metered solar units purchased by distribution companies.
During a Nepra public hearing, CPPA-G officials revealed that daytime electricity demand dropped significantly due to solar adoption, while nighttime usage rose. A presentation also showed that net metering supplies hit 204.5 GWh in October, the highest ever recorded, with Nepra noting that these units carry “zero fuel cost,” directly lowering consumer FCA.
“Pakistan has become one of the largest importers of solar panels, and consumers are shifting to solar because of high electricity prices,” said Karachi businessman Tanveer Bari during the hearing.
Fresh Nepra data shows DISCOs procured 573.7 GWh of net-metered energy from July to October. Iesco, Lesco and Mepco remained the top purchasers. This solar contribution displaced expensive thermal generation, reducing the overall fuel pool.
The hearing also highlighted changes in the generation mix. Local coal produced 1,261 GWh at Rs13.10 per unit, RLNG generation rose to 1,949 GWh at Rs21.06 per unit, while nuclear remained the cheapest source with 2,188 GWh at just Rs2.17 per unit. Solar added 96 GWh to the mix.
Nepra questioned rising coal and RLNG costs, but CPPA officials said higher utilisation of local coal should reduce its future price impact. Officials also confirmed using the full allocation of 600 mmcfd RLNG for power plants.
With net metering climbing fast, October’s data shows rooftop solar is now playing a major role in reducing reliance on costly fuel-based generation helping stabilize consumer bills month after month.
