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LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has refused to issue an immediate stay order against the new net metering policy introduced by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), while sending notices to the authorities concerned for their response.
Justice Abid Hussain Chattha on Friday heard a petition challenging the revised policy. The federal government, Nepra and the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), among others, have been named as defendants in the case.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer argued that the government had reneged on its earlier promise of “unit for unit” net metering, adding that the new policy jeopardized the investments of citizens who installed solar systems.
The lawyer argued that Nepra’s new regulations violated fundamental property rights and urged the court to declare the policy void and suspend its implementation until a final decision on the petition.
However, the court denied the request for an immediate restraining order, observing that it could not issue an order without hearing the other party. The bench then sent notices to the federal government and other respondents, seeking their responses.
Nepra last week overhauled the country’s net metering regime, moving rooftop solar and other small generators to a new “net metering” system under the Nepra (Prosumer) Regulations, 2026. This fundamentally changed the way power producers are paid and repealed the decade-old framework.
