Guides · Faisalabad, Lahore, Punjab
Electricity Tariff 2026 in Pakistan: What Changed and What It Means for Solar
Short answer
The electricity tariff in 2026 did not change much at the slab level, but the way your bill is built did. Base rates for most domestic slabs stayed where they were, while fixed charges per kW of sanctioned load were added for almost every household, monthly and quarterly adjustments kept moving the bill, and new solar users moved from net metering to net billing. For solar, the result is clear: a unit you produce and use yourself is worth your full grid rate, and a unit you export is worth much less.
We checked the facts below on 14 October 2026. Tariffs are revised often, so confirm the current figures on your own latest bill before you rely on them.
The 2026 tariff changes at a glance
| When | What happened | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | NEPRA approved a uniform consumer tariff for calendar year 2026 (moving from a July-June year). Average base tariff about Rs 33.38 per unit, slightly below the previous year. The government kept existing slab rates and covered the gap with subsidy. | All DISCO consumers |
| 9 February 2026 | Net metering closed to new applicants; net billing applies to new solar connections. | New solar users |
| 12 February 2026 | New schedule notified (reported as SRO 279(I)/2026): fixed charges per kW of sanctioned load for domestic consumers, small cuts to the upper domestic slabs, lower industrial rates. | Households and industry |
| June to August 2026 | Quarterly adjustment of about Rs 1.99 per unit off bills. | Most consumers |
| September 2026 | Fuel charges adjustment of about Rs 2.06 per unit added for one month. | Most consumers |
| September to November 2026 | Quarterly adjustment of about Rs 0.52 per unit added. | Most consumers |
Lifeline and prepaid consumers, and units billed under the incremental consumption package, were reported as excluded from the quarterly adjustments.
2026 tariff and solar
Energy charge
Per unit used
Fixed charge
Per kW of sanctioned load
Domestic slab rates in 2026
These are the base energy rates per unit as reported in October 2026 for ex-WAPDA DISCOs, including FESCO, LESCO, MEPCO, GEPCO and IESCO. They exclude fixed charges, fuel and quarterly adjustments, and taxes.
| Category | Monthly units | Reported base rate (Rs per unit) |
|---|---|---|
| Protected | 1-100 | 10.54 |
| Protected | 101-200 | 13.01 |
| Unprotected | 1-100 | 22.44 |
| Unprotected | 101-200 | 28.91 |
| Unprotected | 201-300 | 33.10 |
| Unprotected | 301-400 | 36.46 |
| Unprotected | 401-500 | 38.95 |
| Unprotected | 501-600 | 40.22 |
| Unprotected | 601-700 | 41.85 |
| Unprotected | Above 700 | 47.20 |
Source: NEPRA and press reporting listed under Sources.
Two details matter for solar:
- Only protected households get the benefit of the previous slab, as reported. An unprotected household is billed at the rate of the slab it reaches. So cutting your monthly units can lower the rate on every unit, not only on the units you save.
- Protected status depends on six months of history. One month above 200 units can move a home to unprotected rates for months. Our guide to protected vs unprotected consumers and solar covers this in detail.
Fixed charges: the biggest change for households
Until 2026, most low and middle-use homes paid little or no fixed charge. From February 2026 the domestic schedule added monthly fixed charges of about Rs 200 to Rs 675 per kW of sanctioned load, depending on your category and monthly use. Lifeline consumers were reported as exempt.
The government's stated reason is that the grid's fixed costs (capacity payments, transmission and distribution) were being recovered mostly through per-unit charges, while grid sales fell, partly because of rooftop solar. Moving some of that cost into a fixed charge means it is paid whether you use the grid or not.
Solar does not remove fixed charges. It reduces the units you buy. We explain the per-kW basis, worked examples and the link with sanctioned load in fixed charges on domestic bills in 2026.
Monthly and quarterly adjustments
Your base rate is only the starting point. Two adjustments move almost every bill:
- Fuel charges adjustment (FCA): set each month for the fuel cost of an earlier month. In 2026 it swung from small amounts to about Rs 2 per unit.
- Quarterly tariff adjustment (QTA): set each quarter for other cost differences. In 2026 it was a relief of about Rs 1.99 per unit in June to August and a charge of about Rs 0.52 per unit in September to November.
These can change your bill by a few rupees per unit from one month to the next. Do not judge a solar system, or a tariff, by a single month's bill. Compare the units you bought, not the rupee total.
What the 2026 tariff means for solar
1. Each self-used unit is worth your full marginal rate
Under net billing, every unit you import is billed at your normal tariff, and every unit you export is credited at a much lower rate, reported at about Rs 10-11 per unit when the rules were notified. So the value of solar now comes mainly from the units you use yourself. Read our net metering and net billing guide for the rules.
2. The slab effect can be larger than the units saved
Example arithmetic only, using round numbers and ignoring fixed charges, adjustments and taxes:
- A home imports 450 units a month. If all 450 are billed at about Rs 39, the energy charge is about Rs 17,550.
- After solar, it imports 280 units. If all 280 are billed at about Rs 33, the energy charge is about Rs 9,240.
- The bill falls by about Rs 8,310 for 170 fewer units, roughly Rs 49 per unit saved, because the rate on the remaining units also fell.
That is an illustration of how the slab structure works, not a promise of savings for your home. Your result depends on your load, when you use it and how your DISCO applies the schedule.
3. Evening use is where the remaining bill sits
Panels produce nothing after sunset. In most Punjab homes, the units still bought after solar are evening and night units: lights, fans, fridges and night-time AC. A battery stores midday solar for those hours, and because each stored unit replaces a full-rate grid unit, batteries make more sense under net billing than they did under net metering. See how much battery capacity you need.
4. Size for self-use, not for export
Oversized systems that mostly export earn the low export rate. Our guide to sizing under net billing explains how to size around your daytime load, and how to estimate solar payback shows how to put a rupee value on self-used and exported units.
Factories and commercial users
The February 2026 schedule cut industrial per-unit rates. Reports put the average industrial cut at about Rs 4 per unit, bringing the average industrial tariff to roughly 11.5 US cents per unit, and said industry would no longer cross-subsidise households.
Separately, an incremental consumption package announced in October 2025 offers a lower rate, reported at about Rs 22.98 per unit, on additional grid consumption above a baseline, from November 2025 to October 2028, within set limits.
For a factory, this changes the sums in two ways:
- Lower grid rates lengthen solar payback somewhat, but daytime industrial loads still absorb most solar output, so self-use stays high.
- If you use the incremental package, the units solar displaces may be cheaper incremental units rather than full-rate units. The design has to look at your actual billing, not an average rate.
Peak demand and MDI charges also matter more than the headline rate for many factories. See MDI on your electricity bill and our industrial and commercial solar page.
What to watch next
- Tariff for 2027. The ten ex-WAPDA DISCOs have filed petitions for calendar year 2027, including about Rs 268 billion of prior-year adjustments that business groups have opposed. NEPRA had not decided at the time of writing.
- Targeted subsidy. Pakistan told the IMF it would replace the general subsidy for consumers using up to 200 units with BISP-linked targeted support from January 2027. Reports in October 2026 still described this as a plan.
- The six-month rule. In September 2026 the Power Division was reported to be considering charging higher rates only for the month in which 200 units is crossed. It was a proposal, not a rule.
Tariffs can go down as well as up, as the June to August 2026 relief showed. That is why we do not build solar proposals on predicted tariff rises. If you are deciding whether to act now, read is solar still worth it in 2026 and should you buy solar now or wait.
How to check what the tariff means for you
- Collect 12 months of bills. Note units, sanctioned load, phase and category for each month. Our guide to reading your electricity bill shows where each item is.
- Find your slab in each month. Note how many months you are protected or unprotected, and which slab you reach in summer.
- Separate fixed from variable. Fixed charges stay; units are what solar reduces.
- Estimate daytime vs night use. Daytime use is what panels cover directly.
- Run a starting size in our solar calculator, then check solar system prices by size.
Solar Works Pakistan does this load analysis in-house for every project, from about 6 kW to megawatt scale, and designs around today's tariff and net billing rules.
Get today's price or a free site survey
Send us your last 12 months of bills. Our engineers will show you, with your own numbers, how the 2026 tariff affects your case and what size makes sense.
- WhatsApp or call: 0336 666 4321
- Email: info@solarworks.pk
- Head office: Main Boulevard, Sargodha Rd, Block F FDA City, Faisalabad
- Lahore branch: 2nd Floor, Jeff Heights, Gulberg, Lahore
- Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, daily
- Service area: all of Punjab. See our Faisalabad and Lahore pages, or contact us.
Site surveys are normally free. Founded in 2021, Solar Works Pakistan has served 300+ customers, including 50+ industrial clients.
Frequently asked questions
Did the electricity tariff increase in 2026?
Base slab rates for most households stayed the same, and some upper slabs were cut slightly. Bills still rose for many homes because fixed charges per kW of sanctioned load were added in February 2026. Monthly fuel and quarterly adjustments moved bills up or down from month to month.
What is the per unit electricity price in Pakistan in 2026?
Reported base rates run from about Rs 10.54 for protected households in the first 100 units to about Rs 47.20 for unprotected households above 700 units. Fixed charges, adjustments and taxes come on top. Check the rate printed on your own bill.
Does the 2026 tariff make solar less worth it?
Not for most users who size for self-use. Each unit you use yourself still saves your full rate, and the slab structure can magnify the saving. Exports earn much less under net billing, so oversized systems pay back more slowly.
Why does my bill change every month even with solar?
Fuel charges and quarterly adjustments change month to month, and fixed charges apply regardless of use. Compare the units you bought from the grid, not the rupee total, to judge your system.
Will electricity prices rise in 2027?
DISCOs have filed petitions for 2027, and the subsidy for low-use households may change from January 2027. Neither had been decided when we wrote this. We do not base solar proposals on predicted price rises.
Did industrial electricity tariffs fall in 2026?
Yes, reports put the average industrial cut at about Rs 4 per unit from February 2026, and an incremental consumption package offers a lower rate on extra consumption. Factory solar still makes sense where daytime loads are high, but the design must use your actual billing.
Sources
- NEPRA, decision on the Federal Government's motion for the uniform tariff for CY2026 (12 Jan 2026)
- Pakistan Observer, "Pakistan electricity tariff slabs for 2026 remain unchanged" (9 Jan 2026)
- The News, "Nepra loads Rs132bn onto domestic bills to cut industrial tariffs" (12 Feb 2026)
- Dawn, "Fixed power charge to be levied per kW, not per connection" (11 Feb 2026)
- Pakera, "Electricity unit price in Pakistan 2026: slab rates" (Oct 2026): https://pakera.pk/electricity-unit-price-slab-rates-pakistan-2026/
- Profit (Pakistan Today), "NEPRA approves Rs67.17bn power tariff relief for consumers" (9 Jun 2026)
- Express Tribune, "Nepra slashes power tariff by Rs1.98" (10 Jun 2026)
- Express Tribune, "Power tariff raised by Rs0.52 per unit" (7 Sep 2026)
- Pakera, "September 2026 electricity bill: Rs 2.58 a unit more" (17 Sep 2026): https://pakera.pk/september-2026-electricity-bill-increase/
- Express Tribune, "PM unveils power tariff cuts for industry, farms" (24 Oct 2025)
- Dawn, "Rs268bn power tariff burden on consumers opposed" (12 Oct 2026)
- Geo News, "Pakistan assures IMF of 'ending subsidy' for 200-unit power consumers" (7 May 2026)
- Pakistan Observer, update on the 200-unit protected rule (21 Sep 2026)