ISLAMABAD: The Power Division on Wednesday dismissed as misleading reports claiming that the federal government has made it mandatory for solar consumers to obtain licences from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.
In an official clarification, a spokesperson stated that licensing requirements related to solar net metering already exist under NEPRA’s regulatory framework and are not a new directive from the federal government. “The matter of licensing falls strictly within the domain of the regulator, while distribution companies (DISCOs) are responsible for implementing these rules,” the spokesperson said.
He termed reports attributing such requirements to fresh government directives as “completely incorrect,” adding that no official version was sought from the Power Division before publication, which led to unnecessary confusion among consumers.
The clarification comes amid ongoing changes in net metering policies. Earlier this year, the government revised the mechanism by abolishing the exchange of electricity units and reducing contract durations from seven to five years.
Under the updated structure, DISCOs may charge consumers up to Rs50 per unit for electricity while purchasing excess solar power at around Rs11 per unit, a move seen as shifting part of the burden of capacity payments to solar users.
