Separate meters are required for purchase, supply of electricity; users will not sell excess electricity to other consumers
KARACHI:
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority has unveiled a new set of rules and regulations aimed at governing the electricity purchase and delivery process for net meter users.
The rules entail significant changes that will affect both new and existing users of distributed generation facilities, such as solar, wind and biogas power systems.
Under the new rules, users of net meters – referred to as “prosumers” – will face separate tariffs for electricity purchases from the grid and supply to the grid. The electricity company will buy electricity from consumers at the national average energy purchase price, while the electricity company will supply electricity to users based on the existing tariffs.
In addition to these changes, the regulation introduces several new requirements and definitions. One important change is the introduction of a new term, “Prosumer,” for users of net meters.
These users will now be subject to more specific rules regarding the amount of electricity they are allowed to produce, with NEPRA retaining the power to review their generation capacity.
The new rules also require separate meters for the purchase and delivery of electricity to net meter users. In addition, users must not sell excess electricity to other consumers, which ensures that the power produced is only used for own consumption or sold back to the grid.
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For those already signed up to net metering agreements, these new rules will apply when their current contracts expire. Existing users will not be able to transfer or sell their excess electricity to other consumers, a major shift from the previous guidelines.
In addition, the new rules stipulate that any user cannot produce more electricity than their load capacity, ensuring efficient energy production and consumption.
The implementation of these new rules is part of NEPRA’s ongoing efforts to better manage Pakistan’s growing net metering sector and ensure fair and efficient electricity transactions.
The development is aimed at regulating the growing net metering sector in Pakistan, helping to standardize the operation of distributed generation systems and maintaining the stability of the national grid.
