Energy & Consumer Affairs | August 2026 | 4 min read
⚡ Quick Takeaways
- Power Division has told distribution companies and PITC to resolve eligible pending net-metering cases.
- The review focuses on consumers who paid demand notices before February 9, 2026.
- Applicants must also have completed required steps such as licences, meter work and connection orders.
- PITC has been asked to update billing systems so verified green-meter connections can be added quickly.
- DISCOs and K-Electric-linked cases will be checked so only genuine pending files move forward.
Solar consumers caught in Pakistan’s net-metering backlog may finally see movement after the Power Division ordered utilities and PITC to verify eligible files, clean billing records and speed up green-meter connections for applicants who had already completed the process before the February 9 cutoff.
| Feb 9 Cutoff for paid demand notices |
PITC Billing and software updates |
DISCOs + KE Records to be verified |
Power Division Moves on Solar Backlog
The Power Division’s latest instructions are aimed at clearing a specific category of delayed net-metering applications: consumers who had already paid their demand notices before February 9, 2026, and had completed the other formalities required for connection. For solar owners, this distinction matters because the physical installation or reprogramming of a green meter is only one step in a wider approval chain that also depends on licensing, utility records and billing-system updates.
The order puts responsibility on both the distribution companies and the Pakistan Information Technology Company. DISCOs must verify payments and documents at their end, while PITC must check pending cases and update the billing software needed to bring approved connections into the system. The process also covers relevant cases involving K-Electric, making the review broader than a single regional utility exercise.
| Consumer note: Faster processing is meant for documented cases that met the cutoff and completed required steps. It is not a blanket approval for every pending solar file. |
February 9 Cutoff Defines Eligibility
The central filter is the February 9 deadline. Consumers who paid their demand notices before that date are the core group being reviewed, but payment alone will not be enough. Eligible applications must also show that the consumer had moved through the remaining requirements, including obtaining a net-metering licence, replacing or reprogramming the relevant meter and completing the meter connection order process.
That layered test reflects the sensitivity around net metering after changes to the regulatory framework. Solar users want a fair route into the billing system once they have spent money on equipment and complied with earlier procedures. Utilities, meanwhile, have been asked to separate genuine delayed cases from incomplete or unsupported claims.
| Warning: Applicants should keep copies of demand notices, payment receipts, licences and meter-connection paperwork ready, because missing records may slow verification. |
What Utilities Must Check
The verification drive depends on coordination between operational and software teams. DISCOs hold field records, payment confirmations and meter-work details. PITC manages billing systems that must recognise the connection type before a consumer can be billed correctly under net metering.
| Requirement | Who checks it | Why it matters |
| Demand notice paid before Feb 9 | DISCO and PITC records | Confirms the case falls within the protected cutoff group |
| Net-metering licence issued | Utility and licensing records | Shows the consumer completed the formal approval route |
| Meter replaced or reprogrammed | Technical and billing teams | Allows export-import units to be recorded correctly |
| Meter connection order completed | DISCO field records | Confirms the connection was ready for system entry |
| DISCO and K-Electric coverage | Relevant utility records | Reduces the risk of eligible consumers being left out |
Billing Updates Are the Real Bottleneck
For consumers, the visible issue is often the missing green meter. Behind the scenes, however, the billing database is just as important. PITC has been directed to update its systems and software so eligible connections can be entered without delay once their files are verified. This is a practical step because a technically installed meter still has limited value if the consumer account is not configured correctly for net-metering treatment.
The directive therefore links administrative verification with system readiness. A verified receipt, licence or connection order has to translate into an active billing record. By making PITC part of the review, the Power Division is targeting the point where paperwork, field work and monthly billing meet.
| Positive signal: If implemented cleanly, the review should help consumers who followed the older process avoid fresh delays caused by software or record mismatches. |
Fairness Will Depend on Documentation
The government’s stated aim is to ensure that consumers who completed the required process before the cutoff are not unnecessarily delayed while only eligible cases are approved. That balance is important for both consumer confidence and grid administration. Solar owners who paid on time should not be penalised by slow internal processing, but utilities also need defensible records before adding connections to the billing system.
The next test will be execution at utility level. If DISCOs verify records quickly and PITC updates billing entries in parallel, pending applicants could see faster green-meter activation. If verification remains fragmented, the order may simply move the backlog from one desk to another. For now, the most useful advice for affected consumers is simple: keep every dated document in order and follow up with the utility handling the file.
| Source note: Details were checked against reports on Power Division instructions, PITC billing updates and NEPRA-linked net-metering directions. |
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not replace official guidance from the Power Division, NEPRA, PITC, DISCOs or K-Electric.
