A public hearing has been planned by the National Electric and Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to change the regulations governing solar panels and net metering, which may result in higher electricity costs for homeowners with these systems.
According to a Nepra release, the hearing will take place on September 27, 2022, to discuss changes to the NEPRA Alternative and Renewable Energy Distributed Generation and Net Metering Regulation, 2015.
Nepra posed the question, “What should be the buyback price for excess units produced by the Distributed Generators (Net Metering customers) in the system? Previously, NEPRA sought to alter these regulations in order to reduce the remuneration for distribution generators employing net metering by around 30%.
Some consumers may now be required to pay the bill, and net metering users who already supply power to WAPDA will likely suffer a 20 percent loss. The following changes were recommended by the Authority, and it sought input from stakeholders and members of the public on them:
Two-envelope, one-stage bidding
Tariff in a straight line
Tariff indexation of dollars by 70%
NEPRA benchmark tariff
Power purchase assurance
The government will offer land and connectivity
Free of all import-related taxes and charges
It will be used the current Energy Purchase Agreement (EPA) and Implementation Agreement (IA)
COD within a year of the EPA’s signature
25 years on a BOOT basis, maximum
a 15% income tax rate
Guaranteed payment via bank debit on the 60th day following the invoice
The main topic of discussion at the hearing will be how to determine the buyback price for any excess units that the Distributed Generator (Net Metering Consumer) in the system delivers.