Meralco Net Metering: How It Works for Homes
TL;DR
Meralco net metering lets homes with solar up to 100 kW under RA 9513 export excess power through a bi-directional meter, crediting exports at the generation-cost rate (roughly ₱5-7/kWh) instead of retail rate, so sizing for daytime usage rather than export pays back fastest.
If you’re a Meralco customer installing home solar (up to 100 kW under RA 9513), net metering is the program that lets you feed excess power back into Meralco’s grid and get billed for the difference. Here’s what that looks like in practice.
Meralco’s net metering process
- System design and application. Your installer sizes the system and submits the net metering application to Meralco on your behalf, along with the technical details of the installation.
- Meralco review. Meralco checks the application against its interconnection standards before clearing the installation for net metering.
- Meter swap. Once approved, Meralco replaces your existing meter with a bi-directional meter that separately tracks power drawn from the grid and power sent back to it.
- Net metering agreement. You sign a net metering agreement with Meralco, and from then on your exports show up as credits on your monthly bill.
Faster approvals in 2026. Under an April 2026 Department of Energy circular, distribution utilities must now act on net metering applications within 10 working days, meant to shorten the wait to switch on. The same circular gave LGUs 3 working days to issue the electrical permit and 7 working days for the final inspection certificate, and dropped the separate barangay permit that used to be part of the process. The 100 kW residential cap under RA 9513 is unchanged — see our DOE 2026 net metering rules guide for the full breakdown.
What the credit is worth
Exports are credited at the generation-cost rate (roughly ₱5-7/kWh) — well below the full retail rate you pay for grid power. That rate tracks your utility’s generation charge, which moves up and down with fuel costs, so check your latest bill for the current figure. That gap is why self-consumption matters more than export credit: running aircon, pumps, and appliances during the day offsets electricity you’d otherwise buy at full price, while anything you export comes back at the lower rate.
A system sized to your daytime usage — rather than one built to export — pays back fastest. For the legal basis and nationwide mechanics behind the credit, see our net metering explainer.
Frequently asked questions
What is net metering with Meralco?
It's a program for Meralco customers with home solar (up to 100 kW under RA 9513) that lets you feed excess power back into the grid and get billed for the difference.
How does the net metering application process work?
Your installer sizes the system and submits the application to Meralco with technical details. Meralco reviews it against its interconnection standards, then swaps your meter for a bi-directional one, and you sign a net metering agreement.
What is a bi-directional meter?
It's the meter Meralco installs once your net metering application is approved. It separately tracks power drawn from the grid and power you send back to it.
How much are exported credits worth?
Exports are credited at the generation-cost rate, roughly ₱5-7/kWh, which is well below the full retail rate you pay for grid power.
Why does self-consumption matter more than export credit?
Because exports are credited at the lower generation-cost rate while grid power you buy costs the full retail rate. Using your own solar power during the day for aircon, pumps, and appliances offsets electricity you'd otherwise buy at full price, while exports come back at the lower rate.
What system size pays back fastest?
A system sized to your daytime usage, rather than one built to maximize exports, pays back fastest.