- Confirm eligibility before buying hardware: three-phase connection, sanctioned load, inverter type, and DISCO feasibility matter.
- Ask for every submitted form and drawing; the file is in your name, not only the installer's.
- The process includes DISCO acknowledgement, review, agreement, demand notice, commissioning, and the applicable approval or concurrence.
- From the August 6 amendment, DG of 25 kW or less needs licensee approval instead of NEPRA concurrence. Above 25 kW, the April notification lists a Rs. 1,000/kW concurrence fee.
How this guide was prepared
SolarCalculator.com.pk explains the cited official documents and adds its own worked calculations. Examples state their assumptions and are illustrative; they are not measurements from customer installations. Dealer prices are dated snapshots and require a new written quote. This is independent publisher research, not an endorsement by the authorities or manufacturers linked below.
Quick answer
A green meter is the common market name for a bidirectional or approved import/export metering setup. It records electricity coming from the grid and surplus electricity going to the grid. Under the 2026 prosumer framework, that metering feeds the net billing calculation.
Do not treat the green meter as an accessory that can be added after the solar system is already running. Your system design, inverter choice, sanctioned load, protection gear, drawings, DISCO approval, and meter commissioning all connect to the same file.
Eligibility checks before you pay an advance
The practical eligibility screen starts with your electricity connection. Ministry guidance for net metering has long emphasized a three-phase connection and a bidirectional meter. NEPRA's 2026 regulations define eligible applicants as certain 3-phase 400V or 11kV consumers and cap the proposed distributed generation facility at the sanctioned load of the premises, unless later revised by notification.
Also ask the installer to check local transformer capacity and DISCO constraints. NEPRA's 2026 regulations say the licensee should not entertain an application where distributed generation capacity connected to a particular distribution transformer has reached 80% of its rated capacity.
- Name on bill and CNIC/company record match or name-change path is clear.
- Connection is three-phase or the upgrade cost and timeline are known.
- Sanctioned load supports the proposed solar capacity.
- Inverter model is acceptable for the filing route and system type.
- Local transformer and feeder constraints are checked before quote finalization.
Evidence for this section: NEPRA Prosumer Regulations 2026, S.R.O. 251(I)/2026
Documents to keep ready
Exact file requirements vary by DISCO, city, consumer category, and current portal/process. Still, the same document families appear repeatedly in NEPRA schedules and DISCO checklists: consumer identity, electricity bill, application forms, agreement, technical data, drawings, site plan, affidavit, and payment evidence where applicable.
Ask your installer for a PDF copy or scanned copy of the final submitted file. If there is a future billing dispute, capacity change, inverter replacement, property sale, or complaint, those documents matter.
| Document group | Examples to request |
|---|---|
| Consumer identity | CNIC/NTN/company documents, contact details, ownership or occupancy proof if required |
| Billing record | Latest paid electricity bill, reference number, sanctioned load, tariff category |
| Technical file | Panel and inverter datasheets, capacity, serials, single-line diagram, protection details |
| Site details | Address, roof/site plan, disconnect switch location, earthing/protection placement |
| Regulatory forms | Application, interconnection agreement, concurrence/licence documents, affidavit where required |
| Payment evidence | Demand notice, meter/interconnection charges, applicable fee receipts |
Evidence for this section: NEPRA Prosumer Regulations 2026, S.R.O. 251(I)/2026 · HESCO checklist for net metering applications
Application flow under the 2026 framework
NEPRA's 2026 regulations set a staged process. Submit the application and documents to the licensee, which checks completeness and technical feasibility. The agreement, charge estimate, payment, testing and metering follow. Read this process with the August 6 amendment: facilities of 25 kW or less receive licensee approval without NEPRA concurrence; larger facilities retain the concurrence route. Billing begins with the applicable approval or concurrence.
In the real world, follow-up still matters. Keep dates, challans, demand notice, inspection notes, and meter details. When the first post-commissioning bill arrives, compare import/export registers with meter readings and inverter monitoring.
- File submission to DISCO/licensee.
- Acknowledgement and missing-document correction.
- Initial technical review and feasibility check.
- Agreement signing and licensee approval for 25 kW or less; authority concurrence where applicable above that capacity.
- Demand notice/payment for interconnection and meter work.
- Installation, testing, commissioning, and billing start.
- First bill verification against meter registers.
Evidence for this section: NEPRA Prosumer Regulations 2026, S.R.O. 251(I)/2026 · NEPRA S.R.O. 1330(I)/2026 small-system approval amendment
Fees and charges to clarify
April's notification lists nil concurrence fee at 25 kW or less and Rs. 1,000 per kW for a facility above 25 kW. August's amendment then removed the concurrence requirement for the smaller category, substituting licensee approval. Metering, wiring, testing, service cable and DISCO demand-notice costs remain separate from a NEPRA concurrence fee.
A quote that says green meter included should still explain what is included: meter cost, testing, application service, drawings, visit charges, demand notice, service cable, protection gear, and any correction work required by the DISCO.
Evidence for this section: NEPRA S.R.O. 709(I)/2026 prosumer concurrence fee notification · NEPRA S.R.O. 1330(I)/2026 small-system approval amendment
Worked checks before signing a green-meter package
Use these hypothetical cases to keep eligibility and fees separate. Regulation 3(2) limits proposed DG capacity to sanctioned load. After the August amendment, a facility of 25 kW or less uses licensee approval without NEPRA concurrence; above that size the April fee is Rs. 1,000 per kW. DISCO meter and connection costs still need their own estimate.
- The fee example does not establish technical feasibility, transformer headroom or application approval.
- Request the current official notification and your own DISCO demand notice if the quoted charges differ.
| Illustrative case | Result | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| 12 kW proposed DG; 10 kW sanctioned load | Does not meet the stated capacity limit | A revised design or approved load change before filing |
| 20 kW DG | Licensee approval; no NEPRA concurrence | Separate written meter/interconnection demand notice |
| 30 kW DG | NEPRA concurrence fee: 30 × Rs. 1,000 = Rs. 30,000 | Receipt and separate DISCO charges; do not charge only the extra 5 kW |
Evidence for this section: NEPRA Prosumer Regulations 2026, S.R.O. 251(I)/2026 · NEPRA S.R.O. 709(I)/2026 prosumer concurrence fee notification · NEPRA S.R.O. 1330(I)/2026 small-system approval amendment
Post-approval handover checklist
The project is not complete when panels are mounted. It is complete when the system is safely commissioned, monitoring works, documents are handed over, and the bill shows the correct import/export treatment.
- Signed agreement, concurrence/licence/approval copy, and demand notice receipts.
- Panel serial list, inverter serial, warranties, datasheets, and monitoring login.
- Single-line diagram, protection layout, earthing details, and breaker labels.
- Meter number, import/export register photos, commissioning date, and first-bill check.
- Written process for inverter fault, panel replacement, capacity expansion, and complaint escalation.
FAQ
Is a green meter the same as net billing?
No. Green meter is the common name for the metering setup. Net billing is the billing mechanism that values imported and exported electricity under the applicable rules.
Can I apply with a single-phase connection?
Power Division guidance says a three-phase connection is mandatory for net metering. If your home is single-phase, price and time the three-phase upgrade before finalizing the solar package.
Does a home system below 25 kW need NEPRA concurrence?
The August 6, 2026 amendment exempts DG facilities of 25 kW or less from NEPRA concurrence and requires approval by the concerned distribution licensee. This does not remove the DISCO application, technical checks, approved metering or other interconnection requirements.
Who should submit the DISCO application?
Usually the installer/EPC prepares and submits it, but it is your consumer reference and your agreement. You should keep copies and understand what is submitted.