The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) has stirred up a heated debate with its new proposal to impose fixed charges on solar users in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a move that could impact thousands of households benefiting from renewable energy.

According to an internal document, PESCO aims to introduce these charges for customers using net metering—a system that allows solar users to feed excess electricity back into the national grid and receive credits in return. The company argues that while these users take advantage of the grid during low solar production, they do not contribute to the grid’s maintenance costs.

PESCO claims that this imbalance forces non-solar customers to bear additional financial burdens, as the company’s revenue from traditional electricity users continues to decline. With more people turning to solar energy, PESCO warns that the growing number of solar users in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is creating financial and technical challenges for the distribution system.

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The company highlighted that managing voltage fluctuations and ensuring grid stability has become increasingly difficult as solar adoption expands. PESCO believes introducing fixed charges would help “restore financial equilibrium” and ensure fair cost recovery among all types of consumers.

However, the proposal has sparked mixed reactions. Many renewable energy advocates argue that this step could discourage people from switching to clean energy solutions. They believe such policies contradict national efforts to promote sustainable energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.