PM Halts Net-Metering Policy Revision Again

Islamabad, July 21, 2025, 02:35 PM PKT — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has halted the official campaign to revise the solar net-metering policy for the third time, quashing efforts to reduce buyback rates, reported Dawn, citing official sources, amid fierce resistance from public and civil society. A senior Power Division official confirmed the Prime Minister’s Office directive to stop the push, which aimed to reshape the narrative and present a revised cabinet summary, following earlier Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approval overturned by cabinet backlash. Minister for Power Awais Leghari promised a new plan post-July 10 announcement, eyeing a 2-3 year investment recovery (up from 1.5 years) and stakeholder input, after proposing a buyback rate cut from Rs27 to Rs11.3 per unit and a new billing mechanism, aligning with independent power producer (IPP) tariffs.

The debate intensifies as 325,000 net-metered connections (6,500MW capacity) thrive, with Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi leading, and more in the pipeline per solar import data, while hybrid solar systems cut grid demand but exacerbate surplus capacity. Provincial subsidies further strain the electricity sector. Web context shows renewable energy tensions, while posts found on X reflect relief and doubt—some cheer PM’s move, others question policy clarity. Critically, the narrative of “energy reform” may mask grid management flaws—web data hints at past reversals, and X sentiment suggests distrust in consistent strategy, pointing to ongoing uncertainty.