Solar Works Pakistan

Guides · Faisalabad, Lahore, Punjab

Solar for Factories in Faisalabad's Industrial Estates

Short answer

Solar for factories in Faisalabad works best when the plant is sized to the factory's daytime load, inside the limits of its FESCO connection, its sanctioned load and the estate it sits in. A unit in M-3 Industrial City, a weaving shed on Jhang Road and a finishing unit on Sargodha Road share the same national net billing rules, but their supply voltage, roof type and estate arrangements can change the design. Check those three things before you compare any quotations.

This guide covers Faisalabad's main industrial locations, what FESCO's industrial (B) tariff categories mean for solar, and how we approach a factory plant. For textile-specific design points such as lint, looms and dyeing loads, read our guide to solar for Faisalabad textile, dyeing and loom units.

Faisalabad's industrial estates and belts at a glance

Faisalabad has two kinds of industrial location: planned estates developed by FIEDMC (the Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company), and older industrial belts that grew along the main roads out of the city.

LocationWhat it isSolar points to check
M-3 Industrial CityFIEDMC estate of roughly 4,500 acres near the Sahianwala Interchange on the M-3 motorway, with special economic zone (SEZ) statusNewer sheds with large clear roofs; how power is supplied inside the estate
Allama Iqbal Industrial CityFIEDMC CPEC special economic zone beside M-3 Industrial City; first phase developed, later phases still being builtNew-build factories can plan solar into the structure from day one
Value Addition CitySmaller FIEDMC estate of about 225-233 acres on Khurrianwala RoadMid-size plots; roof space often limits plant size
Sargodha Road beltLong-established corridor of textile, apparel and paper units; also home to a small industrial estateOlder sheds; roof condition and purlins need checking
Jhang Road beltCorridor with a large number of firms, mainly textile and semi-trailer manufacturingMixed loads: looms, welding and heavy motors

Other industrial clusters sit along Satiana Road, Sheikhupura Road and in older city areas. The engineering approach is the same wherever the factory is.

Planned estates: newer roofs, different supply questions

Estates like M-3 Industrial City were built with their own infrastructure. In January 2022, new 132 kV grid stations were inaugurated at FIEDMC's M-3 estate and Allama Iqbal Industrial City to meet growing industrial demand, with FESCO as the utility.

For solar, the important question is how your factory is metered. The federal Power Division has directed DISCOs to agree single-point supply and billing arrangements with SEZs and industrial estates. Where power reaches an estate through one bulk connection, the route for a net billing application may run through the estate administration as well as FESCO.

If export is not possible or not worthwhile, a self-use plant with export limited can still cut the units you buy. See our guide to the zero export device.

Older road belts: older sheds

The Sargodha Road and Jhang Road belts hold many of Faisalabad's established units. Our head office is on Sargodha Road. Common issues in these older units:

Diagram

Factories in Faisalabad's industrial estates

Estate

M-3, Allama Iqbal and Value Addition City

Supply

FESCO or estate supply route

Roof

Large sheds suit solar

Check your estate's supply route before net billing.

FESCO industrial tariffs: what the B categories mean for solar

FESCO bills factories under its industrial (B) tariff categories. From the tariff FESCO publishes on its website (shown as effective from 1 July 2024):

CategoryConnection (as published)Time-of-use ratesWhat it means for solar
B1Up to 25 kW at 400/230 VFlat or time-of-use optionSmall workshops; systems up to 25 kW are approved by FESCO with no NEPRA licence fee
B2Above 25 kW up to 500 kW at 400 VFlat or time-of-use optionMost small and mid-size factories; NEPRA concurrence and fee apply above 25 kW
B3All loads up to 5,000 kW at 11 kV and 33 kVTime-of-useLarger mills with their own transformer; check the voltage against net billing rules
B466 kV, 132 kV and aboveTime-of-useVery large plants; usually self-use design

Three practical points follow.

  1. Peak hours fall after sunset. On a time-of-use tariff, the expensive peak period is in the evening, when solar has stopped. Solar cuts off-peak daytime units. A battery can move some solar into the peak period, which is where BESS for factories can earn its place.
  2. Voltage decides net billing eligibility. NEPRA's 2026 Prosumer Regulations refer to three-phase 400 V and 11 kV consumers, with an overall cap of 1 MW. A plant above 1 MW, or on a connection outside the rules, is designed for self-use.
  3. Sanctioned load caps the system. Solar capacity cannot exceed your sanctioned load. If your plant should be larger, increase your sanctioned load first.

Industrial bills also carry a demand element based on MDI. Solar reduces units bought, but it does not reliably reduce your maximum demand, because peaks often occur when solar is low. Our guide to MDI on your electricity bill explains why.

Net billing for Faisalabad factories

New solar connections have come under net billing since 9 February 2026. Imported units are billed at your normal tariff, and exported units are credited at the national average energy purchase price, reported at about Rs 10-11 per unit when the rules were notified. Systems above 25 kW need NEPRA concurrence and a one-time fee of Rs 1,000 per kW; plants of 250 kW and above need a load flow study. New applications are refused once connected solar on a transformer reaches 80% of its rating. The 25 kW rule and our net metering and net billing guide give the detail.

For most Faisalabad factories this is less of a problem than it is for homes. A unit with a full day shift uses most of its solar output on site, where each unit saves the full industrial tariff. The units that matter for export are Fridays, holidays, shutdowns and low-load days. We size the plant around those days rather than around the roof.

Solar Works Pakistan prepares the technical documents and handles the FESCO net billing application for your factory.

Designing a plant for an estate factory

Every plant starts from data, not from a price per kW. We look at 12 months of bills (units, MDI, peak/off-peak split), your tariff category, supply voltage and sanctioned load, shifts and holidays, large motors and compressors, roof and land, and expansion plans, since many estate units add sheds in phases.

Many estate factories also run diesel or gas generators. With the right controller, solar can share load with the generator safely; see solar and generator hybrid systems. We do not sell generators, but we integrate existing sets.

From this, our in-house engineers produce an AutoCAD layout, a structure design and a detailed BOQ listing the brand, model, quantity and warranty for each item. Our guide to comparing solar quotations shows how to check any BOQ line by line.

How Solar Works Pakistan delivers Faisalabad factory projects

Solar Works Pakistan is a Faisalabad-headquartered solar EPC, engineering and trading company, founded in 2021. We have served 300+ customers, including 50+ industrial clients, with sector experience in textile, dyeing, loom and soap units. Our power-generation heritage goes back to the 1980s through our founder, Akram Ullah Khan.

Factory projects follow a project-specific schedule agreed in the quotation. More detail is on our industrial and commercial solar page and our Faisalabad solar company page.

Get today's price or a free site survey

Send 12 months of bills with MDI, your tariff category, a machine list and shift hours. Our engineers will check your connection and estate arrangements and tell you plainly what size of plant makes sense.

Site surveys are normally free.

Frequently asked questions

Can a factory in M-3 Industrial City install rooftop solar?

Yes, subject to its sanctioned load, roof condition and the estate's supply arrangements. Self-use solar is usually straightforward. Export under net billing depends on how the factory is metered, so we confirm that with FESCO and the estate administration before design.

Which FESCO tariff category is my factory on?

It is printed on your bill. In FESCO's published tariff, B1 covers loads up to 25 kW, B2 covers above 25 kW up to 500 kW at 400 V, B3 covers 11 kV and 33 kV connections up to 5,000 kW, and B4 covers 66 kV and above. Check the current notification, as categories can be revised.

Does solar reduce peak-hour charges on a time-of-use tariff?

Not directly, because peak hours fall in the evening after solar output has stopped. Solar reduces daytime off-peak units. A battery can store midday solar for use in peak hours, if your data shows that pays.

How big can a factory solar plant be under net billing?

No larger than your sanctioned load, with an overall cap of 1 MW under the 2026 regulations. Plants of 250 kW and above need a load flow study. Larger plants, or connections outside the rules, are designed for self-use with export limited.

Is net billing worth it for a Faisalabad factory?

For a factory with a steady day shift, most solar output is used on site and saves the full tariff. Export matters mainly on holidays and low-load days. We size for self-use first so the lower export rate has less effect.

Can solar work with the generator my factory already has?

Yes, with a proper controller that stops reverse power and keeps the generator above its safe minimum load. We design the integration and do not sell generators.

Sources

Net billing facts are reused from our net metering and net billing guide, which lists the full NEPRA and news sources.