In short: a LESCO bill for a solar user shows two readings: units you imported from LESCO and units you exported from your solar system.
Under net billing (new connections since February 2026), imports are charged at your normal tariff and exports are credited at a much lower rate, so the two do not cancel out unit for unit. Under the old net metering terms, which existing users keep until their agreement expires, units are netted off before billing.
Last updated: 14 September 2026. Based on the NEPRA (Prosumer) Regulations 2026 and later amendments. Sources are listed at the end.
The two readings on a solar user’s LESCO bill
- Import: units supplied by LESCO to your home, mostly at night and when your panels cannot cover your use.
- Export: units your solar system sent to LESCO when it produced more than you were using.
The solar units you use directly in your home never pass through the meter, so they do not appear on the bill at all. They are simply units you did not have to import. That is why your bill can drop sharply even when your export reading looks small.
Your bill is based on a 30-day billing cycle, and readings are taken with hand-held units or automated meter reading. You can view your bill on LESCO’s official website under “Customer Bill”.
How a net billing bill is calculated
- Import charge = imported units × your applicable tariff, which follows the normal slab structure, plus the usual taxes and charges.
- Export credit = exported units × the national average energy purchase price, reported at roughly Rs 8 to Rs 11 per unit when the rules started.
- Amount payable = import charge − export credit.
- If the credit is larger than the charge, the difference is carried to your next bill or paid to you quarterly.
NEPRA can revise the export rate during your agreement.
Worked example: a July bill in Lahore
These figures are for illustration only. They use an import tariff of Rs 50 per unit and an export rate of Rs 10 per unit, and ignore slabs, taxes and fixed charges. PVGIS data puts a south-facing 10 kW system in Lahore at about 1,191 units in July. Suppose the home uses 1,500 units that month in total.
| Units | Net billing (new users) | Net metering (existing agreement) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar produced | 1,191 | — | — |
| Solar used directly at home | 800 | Not billed | Not billed |
| Exported (meter reading) | 391 | Credit: 391 × Rs 10 = Rs 3,910 | Netted against imports |
| Imported (meter reading) | 700 | Charge: 700 × Rs 50 = Rs 35,000 | 700 − 391 = 309 net units × Rs 50 = Rs 15,450 |
| Payable | Rs 31,090 | Rs 15,450 | |
| Without solar (1,500 × Rs 50) | Rs 75,000 | Rs 75,000 |
Both arrangements cut the bill a lot, but net billing gives far less value for exported units. That is why homes on net billing save more by using solar power during the day, or by storing it in a battery. See our guide to hybrid solar systems in Lahore.
Why your net billing bill might be higher than expected
- Too much export, too little self-use: exports earn far less than the units you import in the evening cost.
- Evening and night use: ACs at night run entirely on imported units.
- Tariff slabs and taxes: imported units still follow LESCO’s slab structure and taxes.
- Lower solar output: dust, smog or a fault. Compare your inverter’s units with expected Lahore output in our 10 kW production guide, and keep panels clean with our cleaning guide.
- Credit carried forward: a large credit one month may appear against the following bill rather than immediately.
Existing net metering users: be careful before upgrading
After an April 2026 amendment (S.R.O. 547(I)/2026), consumers with valid net metering agreements keep their existing arrangement until the agreement expires. A “material modification” that changes the system’s maximum output, such as adding panels or fitting a bigger inverter, ends that protection straight away.
Frequently asked questions
How is a LESCO net metering bill calculated?
Under net billing, imported units are charged at your tariff and exported units are credited at the national average energy purchase price; the credit is subtracted from the charge. Existing net metering users have units netted off before billing until their agreement expires.
Where can I check my LESCO bill online?
On LESCO’s official website, under “Customer Bill”, using the reference number printed on your bill.
Why don’t the solar units I use at home appear on my bill?
Because they are used before reaching the meter. The meter only records electricity crossing between your home and the grid.
What happens if my export credit is more than my bill?
The difference is credited against your next billing cycle or paid to you quarterly, according to NEPRA’s regulations.
What is the export rate per unit?
The national average energy purchase price, reported at roughly Rs 8 to Rs 11 per unit when net billing started. NEPRA can revise it.
اردو خلاصہ
سولر صارف کے لیسکو بل میں دو ریڈنگز ہوتی ہیں: لیسکو سے لیے گئے یونٹ (امپورٹ) اور سولر سے گرڈ کو دیے گئے یونٹ (ایکسپورٹ)۔ نیٹ بلنگ میں امپورٹ یونٹس عام ٹیرف پر اور ایکسپورٹ یونٹس نیشنل ایوریج انرجی پرچیز پرائس پر (قواعد کے آغاز پر تقریباً 8 سے 11 روپے فی یونٹ) کریڈٹ ہوتے ہیں، اور کریڈٹ بل سے منہا ہوتا ہے۔ گھر میں براہ راست استعمال ہونے والے سولر یونٹ بل پر نظر نہیں آتے۔ پرانے نیٹ میٹرنگ صارفین کے یونٹ معاہدہ ختم ہونے تک ایک کے بدلے ایک منہا ہوتے رہیں گے، لیکن سسٹم بڑا کرنے سے یہ سہولت ختم ہو سکتی ہے۔
Confused by your solar bill?
Solar Net Metering installs solar systems and handles net billing applications in Lahore. Send us your LESCO bill and we will explain it. Net billing for a 10 kW system with LESCO costs Rs 160,000. Office: 222 Main Boulevard, DHA Phase 6, Lahore.
Sources
- NEPRA (Prosumer) Regulations 2026, S.R.O. 251(I)/2026
- Profit, 3 April 2026: NEPRA protects existing solar net metering users
- Dawn, 10 February 2026: Nepra pulls the plug on net-metering
- PVGIS (European Commission Joint Research Centre)
The example is simplified for explanation; actual bills include tariff slabs, taxes and other charges.