Under this system, solar consumers will now sign new agreements with Lesco, and some parts of the new policy will also apply to existing users.
Previously, solar users benefited from net metering, where exported electricity units were directly adjusted against imported units. This allowed users to reduce their bills significantly. However, under the new net billing policy, this unit-to-unit adjustment has been completely removed. Now, exported units will be converted into money and deducted from the bill instead of direct unit adjustment.
According to sources, consumers with existing net metering connections will also start receiving regular bills. Their exported electricity will be purchased at about Rs25.32 per unit, while imported units will be charged according to the regular tariff rate. For new agreements, the export rate will be much lower, around Rs8.13 per unit.
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All new net billing agreements will be valid for five years. Existing consumers will continue under their old agreements until completion, but once their seven-year contracts expire, they will be shifted to the new net billing policy.
Another important change is that electricity exported beyond the approved load capacity will not be included in billing. This means consumers will not receive any benefit for extra exported units beyond the approved system capacity.
To understand the impact, here is a simple example:
If a user consumes 500 units and exports 400 units:
Old net metering system:
Bill = 500 − 400 = 100 units × Rs33 = Rs3,300
New net billing system:
Import cost = 500 × Rs33 = Rs16,500
Export credit = 400 × Rs10 = Rs4,000
Final bill = Rs12,500
This shows a major increase in the final payable bill under the new system.
The new policy is expected to change how solar users benefit from their systems. Many consumers may now receive smaller financial benefits compared to the previous net metering system.
This policy shows the government wants to reduce financial pressure on power companies. Solar users may now save less money. Some people may think twice before installing solar. However, solar energy still reduces electricity dependence and helps during power shortages.
