Net metering is the closest thing to a free lunch in Pakistani solar: your meter runs backwards during the day, and you pay only for the difference at the end of the month. For many homes in Peshawar it takes the bill close to zero.

But it is not automatically the right choice, and it does nothing for you during load shedding. This guide covers what your bill is actually telling you, how the PESCO application works, and how to decide whether you need batteries as well.

1. Read your bill before you shop for panels

Three things on your PESCO bill decide how much solar can save you.

Units consumed (kWh). The single most important number. It sizes your system and it sets your savings. Average your summer months.

Tariff slabs. In Pakistan the per-unit rate rises as you use more. Your last and most expensive units can cost close to double your cheapest ones.

Fixed charges and taxes. These ride on top, and several scale with your billed units — so reducing units pulls them down too.

Why slabs make solar better than it looks

This is the part most people miss, and it is worth understanding properly.

Solar does not shave an average unit off your bill. It removes your most expensive units first — the ones sitting in the top slab. A system that covers half your units can cut considerably more than half your bill, because the half it removes is the expensive half.

It also means the *bigger* your bill, the *faster* solar pays back. Heavy users are not being punished by going solar; they are the ones with the most to gain.

2. What net metering actually is

A bi-directional meter replaces your existing one. It records two numbers: what your system exports to the grid during the day, and what you import at night.

Those exported units are credited against your imported units, so your bill reflects only the net difference. Your surplus is not wasted, and in effect the grid acts as a battery you do not have to buy.

3. Who can apply

  • A three-phase connection is ideal. Single-phase is also possible.
  • Your system size should be matched to your sanctioned load — typically 1–25 kW for homes and shops.
  • You will need your CNIC, a recent PESCO bill, and shade-free roof space.

If your sanctioned load is lower than the system you want, that is a solvable problem, but it needs handling as part of the application rather than discovered afterwards.

4. The process, step by step

1. Site survey and design. We measure your roof, check your load and design an on-grid system sized to it.
2. Application and documents. We prepare and submit the net-metering file to PESCO on your behalf.
3. Inspection and approval. PESCO inspects the installation and approves the connection.
4. Meter change and commissioning. The bi-directional meter is installed and the system is commissioned.

How long does it take? The paperwork and meter change usually run to a few weeks. It varies, and honestly it is the least predictable part of going solar — which is precisely why we handle the whole file rather than leaving you to chase it.

5. Net metering or battery backup?

These solve two different problems, and confusing them is the most common expensive mistake.

Net metering (on-grid)

  • Sends surplus daytime units to the grid for credit.
  • Can cut the monthly bill to almost nothing.
  • Cheapest route, best payback.
  • No backup. When the grid goes down, so does your system — by law, so that it cannot energise lines that a lineman may be working on.

Battery backup (hybrid)

  • Stores your solar energy so the house keeps running through outages.
  • Covers essentials, or the whole home, depending on how it is sized.
  • Costs more, because batteries are the expensive part of any system.
  • Slightly longer payback, in exchange for not sitting in the dark.

How to choose

  • Reasonable grid supply, and the bill is the problem → net metering.
  • Load shedding is the daily problem → hybrid with batteries.
  • Both matter → a hybrid system with net metering, which does both jobs: it exports surplus for credit while the grid is up, and runs the house from the battery when it is not. For most Peshawar homes this is the setup we end up recommending.

You do not have to decide everything at once. A hybrid inverter installed today can run without batteries and have them added next year, as long as it was specified as hybrid from the start. Choosing an on-grid-only inverter to save money now is what closes that door.

6. Work out your own numbers

Use the solar calculator to estimate your savings and payback from your monthly units, or read the net metering guide for the process in more detail.

Or simply bring us your bill — or just the monthly units from it — and we will show you honestly what a system would save, without inflating the figure to close a sale.