Net metering: how long does it really take?
If someone promised you approval in one week, read this first.
The short version
- • Four to ten weeks is realistic, depending on your DISCO.
- • Most delays come from the inspection, or a sanctioned load that is too low.
- • Keep a final payment back until the meter is fitted.
Net metering lets you send extra daytime power to the grid and take it back at night. You pay only for the difference.
The idea is simple. The paperwork is where people get stuck.
Check two things first
- Your sanctioned load. It is on your bill. Your system has to fit under it, or you apply to raise it first.
- The inverter model. It has to be on your DISCO's approved list. Ask before the order is placed.
This is the delay that catches everyone
An unapproved inverter, or a system bigger than your sanctioned load, gets found at the inspection. By then the equipment is on your roof and you are weeks in. Both take one question to check beforehand.
What actually happens
Weeks 1 to 2: installation and forms
The system goes up. Your installer prepares the application: CNIC, last paid bill, system design, inverter certificates.
Weeks 2 to 6: your DISCO reviews and inspects
LESCO, K-Electric, IESCO and the rest all move at different speeds. A team visits to check the wiring and that the size matches the form. Anything they flag has to be fixed. This is where most of the delay happens.
Weeks 6 to 10: licence, meter, agreement
NEPRA issues the licence. The DISCO swaps your meter for a two way one. You sign a three year agreement, and your extra units start counting.
Protect yourself
A normal payment plan is about 40% on order, 40% on delivery, and 20% after the meter is fitted.
That last 20% is what keeps the paperwork moving after they have your money.
The step by step guide covers the documents and the questions to ask.
Read the full guide