The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has stated that there has been a notable increase in the demand for solar net metering, which accounts for 15% of its total electricity demand.

According to media reports, by March 2024, solar net metering installations in LESCO’s service areas reached up to 500.2 MW, which is approximately 15% of the current summer demand of around 3,500 MW.

In LESCO’s areas, 30,280 consumers have opted for solar net metering. By March 2024, a total of 33,843 applications were submitted for the installation of 542.3 MW of solar panels, and a significant number had already been connected to the grid.

Pakistan is facing an energy crisis due to a persistent gap between demand and supply. The current energy demand exceeds the production capacity, resulting in a shortfall of around 5,000 MW, leading to widespread load shedding and power outages.

The federal government is actively encouraging investment in small-scale solar power generation.

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Power Division refutes claims about solar net-metering policy change

Solar panels: NEPRA, Power Division directed to change net metering rules

Pakistan to replace solar net metering with gross metering: report

The federal government has refuted claims made by a leading news channel about a change in the policy of net metering, which allows residential and commercial electricity consumers to sell solar energy generated at rooftops to power distribution companies in June.

Geo News reported that the government had decided to amend the net metering regulations and to introduce two different tariffs for the purchase and selling of solar energy. The TV channel also claimed that net metering was being discontinued and that the government would also introduce a fixed tax on consumers who have installed solar systems.