Factories, offices, schools, hospitals and shops use most of their power in daylight. That makes them a strong fit for solar. But larger systems carry more technical, financial and regulatory risk than a home system. This page explains what a commercial and industrial (C&I) solar project involves in Lahore.
What's included
| Scope item | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Energy audit | Review of 12 months of bills, load profile, peak demand and tariff category |
| Site and structural survey | Roof or land area, shading, structural capacity of sheds and RCC roofs |
| System design | Panel layout, string design, inverter selection, protection, earthing, lightning protection |
| Load flow study | Required for installations of 250 kW or more under the 2026 rules (Nukta) |
| Supply and installation | Panels, inverters, structure, cabling, combiner boxes, switchgear |
| Grid interconnection | LESCO application, metering and interconnection works |
| Monitoring | Remote monitoring platform with generation and fault alerts |
| O&M contract | Scheduled cleaning, inspections, inverter servicing, performance reports |
When you need it
- High daytime load from motors, compressors, HVAC or production lines
- Commercial or industrial tariffs making up a large share of operating costs
- Frequent generator use during outages
- Free roof area on sheds, warehouses or office blocks
Key regulatory points for 2026
Under the NEPRA (Prosumer) Regulations, 2026:
- Distributed generation is capped at 1 MW, and system size is limited to sanctioned load (Nukta).
- Surplus is bought at the national average energy purchase price; imports are charged at the normal tariff.
- Systems of 250 kW or more require a load flow study.
- No new connections where solar on the transformer reaches 80% of its rating.
- Prosumers may not sell power to third parties over the utility network.
- Agreements run five years, renewable by mutual consent.
For most businesses, this pushes design toward self-consumption: matching panel output to the daytime load rather than oversizing for export. Some sites add battery storage to cover peak hours.
Step-by-step process
- Share data. Bills, sanctioned load, single-line diagram of your electrical system and site drawings.
- Energy audit. The installer maps your load across the day and season.
- Feasibility. Expected generation, self-consumption share and payback assumptions in writing.
- Structural check. Steel sheds especially need a structural engineer's sign-off.
- Tender. Invite three or more PEC-licensed, AEDB-certified installers to quote on the same specification.
- Contract. Equipment list, performance guarantees, milestones, warranties, penalties and O&M terms.
- Load flow study and LESCO application where required.
- Installation and testing in phases to avoid disrupting production.
- Commissioning and handover with as-built drawings, test reports and monitoring access.
Approvals and documents in Lahore
- LESCO application under the Prosumer Regulations, with the installer's technical file
- Load flow study for 250 kW and above
- NEPRA concurrence where applicable, reported at Rs 1,000 per kW (Nukta); from August 2026 systems at or below 25 kW are reported to be approved by the DISCO directly (Toolsfluent)
- Building owner's consent if the premises are rented
- Installer credentials: the PPIB/AEDB checklist links installer categories C-1 to C-3 to minimum PEC licence categories (PPIB checklist)
What affects the cost
- System size and how much is rooftop versus ground-mounted
- Structure type: shed clamps, elevated RCC frames or ground piles
- Inverter configuration (string or central) and redundancy
- Distance from array to main switchgear
- Load flow study, interconnection and grid upgrade costs
- Battery storage, if any
- Length and scope of the O&M contract
- Financing model: outright purchase, bank financing or leasing
Request a written bill of quantities so you can compare installers line by line.
Questions to ask
- Which AEDB category are you certified in, and what is your PEC licence category?
- What C&I projects of similar size have you done in Lahore? Can I visit one?
- What performance ratio do you guarantee, and what happens if it falls short?
- Who signs off on the structural design?
- What does your O&M contract include, and what response time do you commit to?
- How will installation affect production?
Red flags
- Payback figures with no assumptions shown
- Ignoring your sanctioned load or the 1 MW cap
- No structural assessment for steel sheds
- No lightning protection on a large array
- Monitoring and O&M left as "we will see later"
FAQs
Can a factory install more than 1 MW? Not under the Prosumer Regulations, which cover systems up to 1 MW. Larger projects follow a separate route; ask a consultant.
Can we sell power to a neighbouring unit? No. The 2026 rules bar selling electricity to third parties over the utility network (Nukta).
Is a load flow study always needed? It is mandatory for installations of 250 kW or more.
Should we add batteries? It depends on your evening load and outage pattern. Ask for a comparison with and without storage.
This page is general information; confirm with the relevant authority or a qualified professional before you act.