LAHORE: Energy sector experts have stressed the need for provision of ‘Net Metering’ (NM) facility on the pattern of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) to all other power distribution companies (Discos).
Net metering is a utility resource usage and payment scheme in which a customer who generates their own power is compensated monetarily. Net metering originated with electric companies as a way to encourage consumers to invest in renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power, they said.
Addressing a seminar regarding awareness about Net Metering arranged by Premier Group here, the experts opined that under the NM, consumers would not only generate electricity through solar and wind resources but also enable to export and import it to Discos.
Energy experts suggested that considering well in view the NEPRA (National Electric Power Regulatory Authority) SRO 892(1) 2015, all the Discos must extend NM facility to consumers through one-window operation as well as simplify its procedures.
On this occasion, Pakistan Solar Association’s founding chairman Engineer Faiz Muhammad Bhutta explained that as per NEPRA rules, every consumer (distributer generator) would be provided with NM ranging from one kilo watt to one mega watt. On receiving Net Metering application, he added, NEPRA would issue license in this regard but on the report and inspection of relevant Disco.
Bhutta termed it a good omen that Iesco has so far extended NM facility to its seven consumers including National Assembly and Pakistan Engineering Council.
He asserted, the consumer generating electricity under NM facility would have to connect its system with a grid station of respective distribution company. In this way, he elaborated, the NM holder’s
surplus electricity would be used by other consumers, and if NM consumer would generate less electricity then he/she could import it on payment from the relevant Disco.
While, Punjab Energy Department (PED) Chief Engineer (Power) Iftikhar Randhawa informed the participants that PED and Lesco (Lahore) had already forwarded SOPs (standard operating procedures) to NEPRA. He said that NM awareness seminar was the first step by private sector and the PED would extend all possible support for promotion of this facility, asserting that Punjab Energy Department would also hold a similar activity next month.
Premier Group (Energy) Country Head Daniyal Siddiqui said that Premier Group was working in house ware, trading, energy and other sectors. The Group, he added, was also installing solar system for domestic, commercial and industrial consumers in Lahore and several other districts. He was of the view that Net Metering could ensure saving and revenues at the same time.
Premier Group CEO Shaukat Mubarak and a large number industrialists and businessmen attended the seminar.
