How to Calculate Solar Savings in Pakistan

Pakistan's solar sector has grown rapidly, with thousands of homes and businesses installing panels to escape rising electricity costs. But working out your actual savings is rarely simple — rates change by time of day, net-metering rules differ by DISCO, and production swings with the seasons. This guide walks through it step by step.

Understanding Pakistan's electricity rate structure

Most grid customers on net metering are billed on a time-of-use (TOU) tariff, which splits your consumption into two windows:

• Peak hours — typically the evening, when demand and rates are highest.
• Off-peak hours — the rest of the day and night, at a lower rate.

Because peak units cost more, the time you consume energy matters as much as how much you consume. Your bidirectional meter records peak and off-peak imports separately, along with your solar export.

Step 1 — Gather your numbers

Pull these from your latest bill and your meter:

• Off-peak import units (meter register #8)
• Peak import units (meter register #6)
• Off-peak export units (meter register #5)
• Any previous surplus carried forward
• Your per-unit price and any export deduction your DISCO applies

Step 2 — Work out imports and exports

For each register, subtract the figure printed on your last bill from your current meter reading. That difference is your usage since the bill. Apply the deduction percentage to your export units to reflect transmission losses or utility adjustments.

Step 3 — Calculate your net surplus

The net figure combines everything:

Net surplus = (Export − deduction) − (Off-peak import + Peak import) + Previous surplus

A positive result is a credit you carry forward. A negative result is the shortfall you'll be billed for, which you can multiply by your per-unit price to estimate the cost.

Our free calculator does all of this instantly — enter your readings and watch the ledger update live.

Step 4 — Maximise your savings

• Shift heavy loads (washing, ironing, EV charging) into daylight hours when your panels are producing.
• Keep panels clean; dust and shade quietly erode export units, especially before monsoon.
• Track your surplus every billing cycle so summer overproduction offsets winter shortfalls.

A note on Pakistan-specific factors

Net-metering terms vary between DISCOs, export rates are periodically revised, and the monsoon months (roughly June to September) reduce output. Re-run your numbers each cycle rather than assuming a fixed monthly saving.

Net metering rewards attention. With accurate readings and a clear formula, you can hold your utility to account and make the most of every unit your roof produces.