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📂 Utilities🕒 11 min read🗓️ Updated: October 2026

Solar Net Metering in Sargodha: How to Apply Through FESCO

Solar is the most common way Sargodha households cut high bills. This guide explains how grid-connected solar and net metering works with FESCO, and what to verify before you pay an installer.

⏱️ Time: Several weeks from application to bidirectional meter
⚡ Quick Answer

Choose a registered installer, size the system within your sanctioned load, have the installer submit your application and documents to FESCO, pass FESCO inspection, and get a bidirectional meter installed. Buyback and billing rules have been revised, so confirm the current rate and agreement terms with FESCO or NEPRA before signing.

Written and reviewed by Ali Sherazi, Sargodha. See our editorial policy. Fees and timings change, so confirm with the office before you go.

اردو خلاصہ

رجسٹرڈ سولر انسٹالر کا انتخاب کریں، سسٹم کا سائز اپنی منظور شدہ لوڈ کے اندر رکھیں، انسٹالر فیسکو میں درخواست اور کاغذات جمع کروائے، فیسکو معائنہ کرے اور بائی ڈائریکشنل میٹر لگ جائے۔ نیٹ میٹرنگ کے ریٹ اور شرائط وقت کے ساتھ تبدیل ہوتی رہتی ہیں، اس لیے معاہدہ کرنے سے پہلے فیسکو یا نیپرا سے موجودہ شرائط ضرور معلوم کریں۔

📄 Required Documents Checklist
  • Copy of CNIC of the connection owner
  • Recent paid FESCO bill (reference number visible)
  • Property ownership or tenancy proof, with owner consent if rented
  • Single-line diagram and technical details of the proposed system from the installer
  • Installer registration details and equipment datasheets
  • Application forms and fee as per FESCO current schedule

🪜 Step-by-Step Guide

Follow each step in order. Do not skip steps — the sequence matters.

1Check your usage and sanctioned load

Look at the last 12 months of bills to find your average monthly units, and note the sanctioned load printed on the bill. Grid-connected system size is generally limited by the sanctioned load, so confirm this before ordering panels.

2Select a registered installer

Pick an installer who is registered with the relevant authority and who has completed FESCO applications before. Ask for references from other Sargodha customers and visit one of their installations if possible.

Pro Tip: Get at least three written quotations that list the brand, wattage and warranty of panels, inverter and mounting structure.

3Decide system type

A grid-tied inverter system exports surplus power and needs FESCO approval. A hybrid system adds batteries. An off-grid system needs no FESCO approval but cannot export. Only grid-connected systems need the net-metering process.

4Submit the application to FESCO

Your installer files the application with the documents above at the FESCO office responsible for your connection. Keep the application number and the receiving stamp.

5FESCO review and inspection

FESCO examines the design and checks the feeder capacity. After installation, a team inspects the system for safety, protection devices and compliance with the approved design.

6Bidirectional meter and agreement

After approval FESCO installs a bidirectional meter and you sign the agreement. Read the agreement carefully, especially the buyback rate, the settlement period and any contract duration.

7Check your first bills

Compare the exported and imported units on the meter with the bill. If credits do not match, report it immediately with photos of the meter display.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

These are the most frequent reasons people waste a whole trip to the government office.

Buying panels before checking sanctioned load

An oversized system may not be approved. Confirm the allowed capacity first.

Trusting verbal promises about buyback rates

Rules have changed over time. Rely only on the written agreement and current FESCO or NEPRA notifications.

Cheapest quotation without warranty details

Low-cost inverters fail early. Compare inverter and panel warranties, not just price.

Running the system on the grid before approval

Connecting an unapproved grid-tied system can be unsafe and can lead to penalties. Wait for the bidirectional meter.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is net metering still available?

The regulator has revised the framework in recent years, including how exported units are valued. Check the current rules with FESCO or the NEPRA website before you decide.

Can tenants install solar?

Usually only with the owner's written consent, since the system is fixed to the property. The connection holder must be the applicant.

How long does approval take?

It varies with the FESCO office workload and feeder study. Ask your installer for a realistic range and keep following up with the application number.

Does solar remove my electricity bill completely?

Not always. Fixed charges and any net imported units remain, and the bill depends on the credit rules in your agreement.

Who maintains the system?

You do. Clean panels regularly and keep your installer contact for warranty claims.

Helplines & Offices

Helpline numbers shown here are national short codes. Office timings are typical and can change, so confirm locally before you travel.

FESCO Helpline

118

24/7

NEPRA

Office hours; via nepra.org.pk

Official Sources

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