How Net Metering Credits Appear on Your Meralco Bill

Once your solar panel system is energized and your bi-directional meter is installed, net metering credits begin appearing on your next monthly Meralco bill. This page explains exactly what changes on the bill, where the credit line appears, how Meralco calculates the credit amount, and how to verify the figures are correct.

For Meralco customers in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, and Bulacan · Updated May 2026

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What Changes on Your Meralco Bill After Net Metering is Activated

Before net metering, your Meralco bill recorded one flow of electricity — from the Meralco grid into your property. After activation, your bi-directional meter records two flows: electricity imported from Meralco and electricity exported to Meralco by your solar system. Understanding how net metering works for Meralco customers is the foundation for reading the new bill correctly.

The bill gains a new credit line showing the peso value of your exported electricity. This credit is deducted from your gross electricity charges, producing a lower net amount due. Three things remain true regardless of how much solar you generate:

Your Bill Will Not Go to Zero

Even if your solar system exports more electricity than you consume from Meralco in a given month, your bill will not be zero. Fixed components including the distribution charge, universal charge, feed-in tariff allowance, franchise tax, and VAT remain on every bill. These are regulated charges unrelated to how much electricity you use or generate.

Net Amount Can Be Very Small

A correctly sized system during dry season months can reduce your Meralco bill to ₱200 to ₱500 — essentially the minimum fixed charges. During rainy season months when generation is lower, the bill will be higher as more grid electricity is needed.

Credits Appear on the Next Bill

Net metering credits earned during a billing period appear as a deduction on your next monthly statement — not the same bill. If your solar system was energized mid-cycle, the first full billing period of credits appears on the bill that follows.

How to Read the Net Metering Credit Line on Your Meralco Bill

Your Meralco bill statement after net metering activation contains two new data points compared to a standard bill. Both appear in the billing summary section.

READ

Two kWh Figures Instead of One

A standard Meralco bill shows one consumption figure: kWh consumed from the grid. A net metering bill shows two: kWh consumed from the grid (forward reading) and kWh exported to the grid (reverse reading). The forward reading is what Meralco charges you for. The reverse reading is what Meralco credits you for.

CRED

The Net Metering Credit Line

The credit appears as a separate deduction line in the charges section of your bill — typically labeled as something like “Net Metering Credit” or “RE Credit.” It shows the peso value of the electricity your solar system exported to the Meralco grid during the billing period. This amount is subtracted from your gross electricity charges before the total amount due is calculated.

NET

Net Consumption vs Net Credit

If your import kWh exceeds your export kWh, you owe the difference at the Meralco rate. If your export exceeds your import, the excess becomes a credit carried to the next billing period. You are never charged for electricity you generated and exported — Meralco owes you that credit.

EXAM

A Simple Example

Property imports 300 kWh from Meralco. Property exports 200 kWh to Meralco via solar. Gross electricity charges: 300 kWh at ₱12/kWh = ₱3,600. Net metering credit: 200 kWh at the applicable credit rate. Net electricity charges before fixed components: ₱3,600 minus the credit value. Fixed charges (distribution, taxes, etc.) are added on top regardless.

How Meralco Calculates Your Net Metering Credit

The peso value of your net metering credit is calculated from the exported kWh multiplied by the applicable credit rate per the ERC Net Metering Program. An important distinction: the credit rate applied to your exported kWh is based on the generation charge component of the Meralco rate — not the full all-in rate you pay when consuming electricity from the grid. The Meralco electricity rates and solar ROI relationship is important here — when the generation charge rises, your credit per exported kWh also rises.

Bill Component	Standard Bill	Net Metering Bill
Generation Charge	Charged on all kWh consumed	Charged on net kWh (import minus export)
Transmission Charge	Charged on all kWh consumed	Charged on net kWh
Distribution Charge	Fixed component	Fixed component — remains on bill
Universal Charge	Fixed regulated charge	Fixed regulated charge — remains
FIT-All	Fixed levy	Fixed levy — remains
Net Metering Credit	Not applicable	Deduction: exported kWh × credit rate

The generation charge and transmission charge are the variable components that solar eliminates on exported kWh. Fixed regulatory charges remain regardless of solar generation.

What the Bi-Directional Meter Reads: Import vs Export

The bi-directional meter installed by Meralco has two independent channels that operate simultaneously. Both channels update continuously as electricity flows in either direction through the service entrance.

FWD

Forward Reading (Import)

This channel records electricity flowing from the Meralco grid into your property. This is what Meralco charges you for. It increases when you are drawing from the grid — at night, during heavy cloud cover, and whenever your solar generation is less than your instantaneous consumption.

REV

Reverse Reading (Export)

This channel records electricity flowing from your solar system into the Meralco grid. This is what Meralco credits you for. It increases whenever your solar generation exceeds your instantaneous consumption — typically during peak solar hours (10am to 2pm) when the sun is strong and the household is using less than the panels generate.

CHECK

How to Read the Physical Meter

Your bi-directional meter displays both readings. The forward reading typically shows as the default display. Some meters cycle through multiple readings — the export reading is usually labeled “R” (reverse) or identified by an arrow pointing in the opposite direction from the import reading. If you are unsure which channel is which, compare the forward reading on the meter to the import figure on your Meralco bill — they should match.

CROSS

Cross-Checking with Your Inverter App

Your inverter app (Growatt ShinePhone, Goodwe SEMS, Fronius Solar.web, or equivalent) shows total generation in kWh. The export figure on your Meralco bill equals total generation minus what you consumed directly from solar during the billing period. If the export figure on the bill is significantly lower than the inverter generation data suggests, investigate whether the bi-directional meter is recording correctly.

Unused Net Metering Credits Do Not Expire. They Roll Over to Your Next Meralco Bill.

Net Metering Credit Rollover: What Happens to Unused Credits

Credits earned in one billing period that are not fully offset against your electricity charges roll over to the following month’s bill automatically. You do not lose them. This rollover mechanism is particularly valuable for Meralco customers whose solar systems generate more than they consume during the dry season (November to May) — the excess credits carry forward to offset higher bills during the rainy season when generation is lower.

Under the current ERC Net Metering rules, credits “may” be banked and rolled over. Under proposed ERC amendments (DC2024-08-0025), this language changes to “shall” — making credit rollover a mandatory entitlement rather than a discretionary benefit. Once the amendment is adopted, Meralco is legally required to carry your credits forward. The solar savings available to Meralco customers in the Philippines across a full year depend on this rollover mechanism working correctly — dry season surplus credits offsetting rainy season deficit is how annual savings accumulate.

One additional protection under the proposed ERC amendments: when a property with an active solar and net metering installation is sold, the accumulated net metering credits transfer to the new owner. The new owner must execute a new Net Metering Agreement with Meralco, but the credits themselves are not forfeited at the point of sale.

How to Verify Your Net Metering Credits Are Correct

Three verification steps confirm that your bi-directional meter is recording correctly and that Meralco is applying the full credit you are entitled to.

Compare Inverter Generation Data to the Bill Export Figure

Open your inverter app and check the total kWh generated for the billing period. The export figure on your Meralco bill should be approximately equal to: total generation minus direct self-consumption during solar hours. If your export figure is drastically lower than total generation with no explanation, the bi-directional meter may not be recording the reverse channel correctly.

Read the Meter Physically and Compare to the Bill

Before and after a billing cycle, note the forward and reverse readings on the physical bi-directional meter. The difference between consecutive readings should match the import and export figures on the bill. If the reverse reading is not advancing despite solar generation being active during daylight hours, report this to Meralco.

Verify the Credit Peso Value

Multiply your export kWh by the applicable Meralco generation rate (approximately ₱6 to ₱8 per kWh for the generation component). This gives an estimate of what your credit should be. If the credit on your bill is significantly lower than this calculation, the rate applied may be incorrect.

Red Flag: No Credit Despite Solar Being Active

If your inverter app shows generation data but your Meralco bill shows zero export credit, check whether your bi-directional meter was correctly installed and activated. A standard meter cannot record reverse flow. If Meralco installed a standard meter instead of a bi-directional meter, no export credit will appear.

Red Flag: Credit Much Smaller Than Expected

If your export figure is very small despite the inverter showing significant generation, check your self-consumption. A household with high daytime appliance use may consume almost all solar generation directly, leaving little to export. This is actually the most financially efficient outcome — self-consumed solar avoids the full Meralco rate, while exported solar earns only the generation credit rate.

Red Flag: Readings Appear Reversed

If your import and export readings appear swapped — the reverse channel is recording a very large number and the forward channel is small — the bi-directional meter may have been installed in the wrong orientation. Contact Meralco immediately as this affects your billing.

How to Raise a Dispute

If you believe your net metering credits are incorrect, document your inverter generation data and physical meter readings, then file a dispute directly with Meralco through their official customer service channels. SolarPro Install assists clients with meter reading disputes on systems we have installed.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Meralco Net Metering Bill

Why is my Meralco bill not zero even though I have solar?

Your bill will never be exactly zero because several fixed regulated charges remain regardless of solar generation. These include the distribution charge, universal charge, feed-in tariff allowance, local franchise tax, and VAT. These are mandated by law and collected by Meralco on behalf of government agencies. They apply to every Meralco customer. With a well-sized solar system during dry season months, your bill can reduce to ₱200 to ₱500 per month — essentially just these fixed components.

Where exactly on the Meralco bill does the net metering credit appear?

The credit appears as a separate line item in the charges section of your Meralco bill, typically labeled as a net metering or renewable energy credit. It is formatted as a negative amount (deduction) that reduces your gross electricity charges. The billing summary section also shows both the import kWh and the export kWh recorded by the bi-directional meter.

What rate does Meralco use to calculate the net metering credit?

The credit is based on the generation charge component of the Meralco rate, not the full all-in rate. The all-in rate of approximately ₱11 to ₱13 per kWh includes distribution charges, taxes, and levies. The generation charge is the variable portion of this — typically ₱6 to ₱8 per kWh. This is why self-consuming solar electricity is more financially efficient than exporting it: self-consumption offsets the full all-in rate, while export earns only the generation credit rate.

Do unused net metering credits expire?

No. Credits earned in one billing period that are not fully used roll over to the next month’s bill. Under proposed ERC amendments (DC2024-08-0025), this credit carry-over becomes a mandatory entitlement. Credits do not expire as long as you have an active net metering registration with Meralco.

My inverter shows high generation but the bill credit is small. Why?

Two possible explanations. First and most common: your household is consuming most of the solar generation directly during daytime hours, leaving little to export. This is actually the ideal outcome — self-consumption avoids the full Meralco rate. Second: the generation data on the inverter app shows total production, while only the surplus (not self-consumed) flows to the grid as export. A household with air conditioning, appliances, and office equipment running during the day may have very low export despite high total generation.

What happens to my net metering credits if I sell my property?

Under proposed ERC amendments (DC2024-08-0025), accumulated net metering credits transfer to the new owner at the point of property sale. The new owner must execute a new Net Metering Agreement with Meralco, but the credits themselves are not forfeited. This provision adds tangible financial value to solar-equipped properties at the time of resale.

Questions About Your Net Metering Bill?

SolarPro Install assists clients with bi-directional meter readings, credit verification, and Meralco dispute resolution on every system we install. Every solar panel installation in the Philippines we complete includes system handover with monitoring setup and guidance on reading your first net metering bill.