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LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) declined to issue an order for immediate stay of the new net metering policy introduced by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), while issuing notices to the concerned authorities for their response.
Justice Abid Hussain Chattha heard a petition challenging the revised policy on Friday. The federal government, Nepra and Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), among others, were named as respondents in the case.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer argued that the government reneged on its previous promise of “unit-by-unit” net metering, adding that the new policy jeopardized the investments of citizens who installed solar systems.
The lawyer argued that Nepra’s new rules violate fundamental property rights and urged the court to declare the policy invalid and suspend its implementation pending a final decision on the petition.
However, the court denied the request for an immediate injunction, noting that it could not issue an order without hearing the other side. The bench subsequently issued notices to the federal government and other respondents seeking their responses.
Nepra last week overhauled the country’s net metering regime, moving rooftop solar and other small generators to a new “net billing” system under the Nepra (Prosumer) Regulations, 2026. This fundamentally changed how power producers are paid, scrapping the decade-old framework.
