NET METERING · VECO, MECO & CEBECO

Net metering in Cebu: how your utility credits your solar.

Homes and businesses on VECO, MECO and CEBECO lines can turn surplus solar into bill credits. Here is what an exported kWh is really worth, how to apply step by step, and what each Cebu utility asks for, with rules cited from the ERC and DOE and every rate dated.
  • Rules cited from ERC & DOE
  • Rates dated by month
  • No sign-up
Noon on a net-metered home
A Cebu home at noon: rooftop solar powers the house and the surplus flows out through a bidirectional meter to the grid.
Solar runs the home first. The surplus leaves through the bidirectional meter and returns as a bill credit.
  • Solar energy
  • Export to the grid
Illustration
The short answer

Yes. Under ERC Resolution No. 15 (2025), customers in good standing with an on-grid solar system of up to 100 kW, with or without a battery, can apply for net metering with VECO, MECO or their CEBECO cooperative. Surplus solar is credited at the utility’s monthly generation charge: about ₱8 to ₱9.76 per kWh in Sep–Oct 2026, roughly 55–65% of the household rate. Unused credits roll over with no expiry.

Credits lower your bill but are not paid out in cash under the current rules, and net metering does not keep your lights on in a brownout. That takes a battery.

WHO QUALIFIES, ON WHAT TERMS

Bill credits for surplus solar: yes, on these terms.

Net metering is a right under the Renewable Energy Act, not a utility promotion. The 2025 amended rules set who qualifies and how credits work.

100 kWLargest system that can net-meterRA 9513 §4(j)

55–65%What an exported kWh earns, as a share of the household rateSep–Oct 2026, utility figures · Res. 15 §13

No expiryUnused credits roll over; no cash-outRes. 15 §18

₱0Impact study, testing and commissioningRes. 15 §17 · ERC advisory 22 Sep 2025

≤ ₱3,000Residential meter upgrade, difference onlyERC advisory 22 Sep 2025

OptionalREC meter; waive it with an affidavitRes. 15 §19

Qualifies

  • On-grid solar on your own premises, with or without a battery (Res. 15 §6).
  • Residential and commercial accounts in good credit standing, and new customers (§5).
  • Systems built to the Philippine Electrical Code and the utility’s interconnection standards (§9).

Doesn’t qualify

  • Off-grid systems: with no grid connection there is nothing to net.
  • Systems above 100 kW, which fall under separate rules for larger distributed energy.
  • Exporting before the utility approves and commissions the connection.

At the end of June 2026, 23,684 homes and businesses across the Philippines were net-metered, with 232 MW of systems (ERC data reported by BusinessMirror and pv magazine, 13 July 2026).

Not a sale at retailExports earn the generation charge, not the full rate you pay for imports.

Not cashCredits roll over to later bills with no expiry; the rules provide no cash payout.

Not backupIn a brownout a grid-tied inverter shuts off. Backup needs a battery.

See what my exports would earn

Pick your utility and bill, and the estimator prices your solar both ways. Already sure? Skip to the six application steps.

HOW IT WORKS · SELF-USE VS EXPORT

One meter, two directions, two different prices.

A net-metered home uses its solar first, exports the surplus and buys the rest. Step through a day to see what the meter records and what each kWh is worth.

One net-metered home, four moments

VECO example · illustration
Noon · solar surplus
At noon the panels power the home and the surplus flows out through the meter to the grid.
Solar runs the house first. Only the surplus leaves through the meter.
  • Solar
  • Grid
Illustration
Bidirectional meterThis month · example
Import00333kWhbilled at ₱14.89
Export00214kWhcredited about ₱8

Export register counting

Your home runs on its own solar first.

Whatever is switched on (the fridge, fans, an aircon, the washing machine) uses solar directly, and that energy is never bought. Only the surplus flows out to the grid, and the bidirectional meter counts it on its export register.

Exported kWh are credited at the generation charge: about ₱8 (VECO, Sep 2026, tracker estimate).

Self-consumption

Solar used the moment it is made. It never passes through the meter, so each kWh saves almost the full all-in rate (a few small subsidy charges still apply to total use).

Export

Solar your home can’t use at that moment. The meter counts it, and the utility credits it at its generation charge on your next bill.

Import

What you buy when solar isn’t enough: evenings, nights and cloudy hours. Billed at the full rate, then reduced by your credits.

Want the whole picture, from roof survey to switch-on? Walk through how solar works for a Cebu home.

WHY EXPORTS EARN LESS THAN RETAIL

An exported kWh is credited at the generation charge.

That is the rule under the current 2025 amended rules (Res. 15 §13), and it is the number many solar pitches get wrong.

“The price of export electricity shall be the DU’s monthly generation charge, which is based on its blended generation cost, excluding other generation adjustments.”

ERC Resolution No. 15, Series of 2025, Annex A §13 (issued 27 August 2025)

Your all-in rate also pays for transmission, system loss, distribution, subsidies and taxes. None of that is credited back on exports. Generation charges also move every month with the wholesale market: MECO’s averaged 46.5% of its household rate in 2025 and reached 61% in Sep 2026.

That is why our solar savings calculator values exports at 55% of your rate, at the cautious end of recent values (VECO’s tracker figure is a little lower). Be wary of any quote that values your exports at the full rate: our guide to comparing solar quotes shows what to check.

150 kWh exported at MECO earns a credit of₱1,464

The same 150 kWh used at home saves₱2,397

Example (estimate): MECO generation charge ₱9.76 (Sep 2026 billing) against its ₱15.98 household rate (Sep 2026).

Export credit vs household rate, Cebu utilities (latest months found, 16 Oct 2026)
UtilityHousehold rateExport creditCredit vs rateCredit source
VECO₱14.89Sep 2026about ₱8Sep 2026roughly halfTrackerPRESYO-PH tracker
MECO₱15.98Sep 2026₱9.76Sep 202661%UtilityMECO breakdown, 1 Oct 2026
CEBECO I₱15.24Sep 2026₱8.62Sep 202657%UtilityCEBECO I advisory, Sep 2026
CEBECO IIabout ₱15.9Sep 2026 · ICSC tracker—not published55%assumedNone onlineSite last updated Mar 2026
CEBECO IIIabout ₱15.08Oct 2026 · our sum of the rate schedule₱9.76Oct 202665%UtilityCEBECO III sheet, 9 Oct 2026

Export credit vs household rate (latest months found, 16 Oct 2026)

  • VECOTracker
    Household rate
    ₱14.89Sep 2026
    Export credit
    about ₱8Sep 2026
    Credit vs rate
    roughly half

    Credit source: PRESYO-PH tracker

  • MECOUtility
    Household rate
    ₱15.98Sep 2026
    Export credit
    ₱9.76Sep 2026
    Credit vs rate
    61%

    Credit source: MECO breakdown, 1 Oct 2026

  • CEBECO IUtility
    Household rate
    ₱15.24Sep 2026
    Export credit
    ₱8.62Sep 2026
    Credit vs rate
    57%

    Credit source: CEBECO I advisory, Sep 2026

  • CEBECO IINone online
    Household rate
    about ₱15.9Sep 2026 · ICSC tracker
    Export credit
    —not published
    Credit vs rate
    55%assumed

    Credit source: Site last updated Mar 2026

  • CEBECO IIIUtility
    Household rate
    about ₱15.08Oct 2026 · our sum of the rate schedule
    Export credit
    ₱9.76Oct 2026
    Credit vs rate
    65%

    Credit source: CEBECO III sheet, 9 Oct 2026

The calculator values exports at 55% of your rate and shows your system, itemised price and payback in about 30 seconds.

Calculate my savings with net metering

YOUR NUMBERS

What would your exports actually earn?

Pick your utility and bill. The estimator splits your solar into what you use and what you export, and prices each one the way your bill will.

Export credit estimator

Illustrative · VECO rates as of Sep 2026
Your electricity provider

All-in household rates (VECO: ₱14.89/kWh, Sep 2026). They change monthly.

₱8,000

About 537 kWh a month at ₱14.89/kWh.

System size

The solar-only system our calculator sizes for this bill. It makes about 78% of your use.

38%

Roughly 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A three-bedroom home that runs its aircons mostly at night is near 38%. Working from home, daytime aircon or a water pump push it up.

Value each exported kWh at

VECO: about ₱8/kWh, Sep 2026 (PRESYO-PH tracker (ICSC); VECO posts its generation rate only as images). The calculator’s 55% (₱8.19) is slightly above this, so here it is not the cautious case.

Estimated bill reduction about ₱4,763 a month; 214 kWh exported, credited ₱1,723.

Estimated bill reduction · average month

₱4,763/month

From about ₱8,000 to about ₱3,237 in energy charges after credits.

3.72 kWp makes about 419 kWh a month

Used at home 204 kWh 49%

Exported 214 kWh 51%

Each kWh used at home saves₱14.89VECO retail rate, Sep 2026
Each kWh exported earnsabout ₱8generation charge, Sep 2026 (tracker) · roughly half of retail
Solar used at home, at retail₱3,040
Exports, credited at the generation charge₱1,723
Myth: exports credited at retail₱3,191

Assuming retail credit would overstate your savings by ₱1,468 a month.

If exports earned nothing (for example a zero-export setup the utility has approved), the reduction would be about ₱3,040.

Estimate, not a quote. Uses 1,350 kWh per kWp a year (cautious for Cebu), no battery, steady monthly use, and all-in rates averaged per kWh. Fixed monthly charges and subsidies billed on total consumption (Res. 15 §14–15) still apply and are not modelled. VAT on credits is not confirmed. Check the export kWh, the credit rate and any VAT on your first net-metered bill.

Request a net-metering-ready quote

The calculator sizes the system from your bill with its own daytime profile and values exports at 55% of your rate, so its figures can differ from this estimate.

Your year on net metering

Exports swing with the seasons. Credits roll over.

  • Used at home
  • Exported
  • Credit carried forward
Estimated monthly solar used at home and exported, with credit carried forward
MonthUsed at homeExportedExport creditCredit carried forward
Jan204 kWh174 kWh₱1,401₱0
Feb204 kWh199 kWh₱1,600₱0
Mar204 kWh284 kWh₱2,282₱0
Apr204 kWh270 kWh₱2,169₱0
May204 kWh245 kWh₱1,970₱0
Jun204 kWh192 kWh₱1,543₱0
Jul204 kWh185 kWh₱1,486₱0
Aug204 kWh227 kWh₱1,828₱0
Sep204 kWh206 kWh₱1,657₱0
Oct204 kWh217 kWh₱1,742₱0
Nov204 kWh192 kWh₱1,543₱0
Dec204 kWh181 kWh₱1,458₱0
Exports run from about 174 kWh in Jan to 284 kWh in Mar: roughly 2,572 kWh a year, credited at about ₱20,679. Over a year you would pay about ₱38,841 instead of ₱96,000. Every month the credit is used up against what you import, so nothing needs to roll over. Seasonal pattern from PVGIS for Cebu City; usage held flat.
01

Shift chores to midday

Run the washing machine, water pump and ironing between about 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the panels are strongest.

02

Use the aircon while the sun is up

If someone is home in the afternoon, cooling then uses solar you would otherwise export at the lower credit.

03

Size for daytime use

A system far bigger than your daytime load mostly exports. The savings calculator sizes solar-only systems for about 70% of annual use.

04

Store it for the evening

A 5.12 kWh battery moves midday surplus into the evening and keeps essentials on in a brownout. See battery backup for Cebu brownouts.

Why approval matters for payback

If exports earned nothing (for example a zero-export setup the utility has approved), only the solar used at home would count. For the calculator’s ₱8,000 VECO example (3.72 kWp, solar only, list price), payback would go from about 2.7 years to about 4.2 years: roughly 1.5 years longer (estimate, Sep 2026 rate, exports at the calculator’s 55%). For ₱6,000 to ₱20,000 VECO bills the gap is about 1.1 to 1.9 years; smaller systems export a larger share, so they lose more. Not included: maintenance, inverter replacement, financing and VAT treatment. Compare cautious and hopeful cases in is solar worth it in Cebu?

HOW TO APPLY

Six steps from plans to your first credit.

Who does what at each step, and the legal maximum time for each government step. Real timing depends on complete documents and the impact study.

Net-metering application · 6 steps

01 / 06
From plans to first credit
A bare roof being assessed for solar, with the utility line and meter.
Design starts with the roof, the wiring and the transformer on your street.
  • Solar
  • Grid
Illustration

Chapter 01

Step 1 · Before anything is installed

Size the system and get the plans signed and sealed.

The roof and wiring are surveyed and the system is sized for your own daytime use. It is worth comparing that size with the utility’s hosting table for your transformer before anything is filed.

A Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE) signs and seals the single-line diagram and electrical plans, as RA 7920 §31(a) and §34 require (JMC No. 001 s.2026 also names a Registered Electrical Engineer for the single-line diagram). Three sets go with the permit application.

Installer
Survey, design, single-line diagram and equipment data sheets.
You
A recent bill, an account in good standing, and access to the roof and main panel.

A plan set ready for the permit and the utility’s impact study.

At your pace. Select any chapter.

The legal clock

Each government step has a maximum time in the rules. They are limits, not promises: the clock starts only when documents are complete, and the impact study for your transformer can still ask for changes.

RuleWhile EO 110 stands
  • LGU electrical permit3 working days
    JMC No. 001 s.2026 §6.1.1.3
  • Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection7 working days · 3 under EO 110
    JMC No. 001 s.2026 §6.1.2.3; DOE advisory, 1 Apr 2026
  • Utility: whole net-metering process20 working days · 10 under EO 110
    ERC Res. 15 s.2025 §20; DOE advisory, 1 Apr 2026
  • Utility sends your agreement to the ERC5 days after signing
    ERC Res. 15 s.2025 §7
Changes to watch

As of 16 October 2026:

  • Proposed: the ERC’s July 2026 draft would write the 10-working-day limit into the rules, treat a missed meter installation as approval, allow credits across several sites, review residential meter costs, exempt small systems from studies and remove the 1 MW cap for larger distributed-energy projects (pv magazine and BusinessMirror, 13 Jul 2026).
  • Issued, awaiting ERC rules: a DOE circular of 3 October 2025 lets one customer share credits across accounts with the same utility once the ERC issues the rules. It is not available yet.
  • In force, time-limited: the 10-working-day utility limit applies while EO 110 is in force, one year from 24 March 2026 unless extended or lifted.
Request a quote that includes the paperwork

Curious how the installation itself runs, from survey to handover? Read our guide to home solar installation in Cebu.

DOCUMENTS & FEES

What the utility can ask for, and what it costs.

Requirements were cut back in 2025–26. Some utility checklists still list more, because the impact study needs technical data.

The four items (ERC advisory, 22 Sep 2025)

  1. The utility’s application formVECO and CEBECO I publish their forms online; for MECO, CEBECO II and CEBECO III, ask at the office.
  2. Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection (CFEI)Issued by your city or municipality after the installation is inspected.
  3. Amended Net-Metering AgreementWith or without a REC meter. Notarisation is optional and e-signatures are allowed.
  4. ERC Certificate of Compliance fee₱1,500 (CEBECO I checklist, April 2026). The utility helps with the COC form and files it with the ERC.

The technical pack behind them

  • Single-line diagram and electrical plans signed and sealed by a Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE), as RA 7920 §31(a) and §34 require (JMC No. 001 s.2026 also names a Registered Electrical Engineer for the single-line diagram).
  • LGU electrical permit, then the CFEI (JMC No. 001 s.2026).
  • Panel and inverter data sheets, plus inverter test certificates such as unintentional islanding and cease-to-energize (CEBECO I).
  • Valid IDs and proof of ownership or authority (listed by VECO and CEBECO I).

Adding a battery or changing the inverter later counts as a modification and goes through the same process again (Res. 15 §12). See adding a battery to existing solar.

Net-metering fees (as published by 16 Oct 2026)
ItemAmount and source
ERC Certificate of Compliance₱1,500CEBECO I checklist (Apr 2026)
Bidirectional meter (existing residential customer)Difference only, up to ₱3,000ERC advisory, 22 Sep 2025
Distribution impact studyFreeRes. 15 §17
Testing and commissioningFreeERC advisory, 22 Sep 2025
REC meter (optional)Meter by the utility; wiring to it by youRes. 15 §10, §19
Agreement notarisationOptional (the no-REC affidavit is notarised)ERC advisory; Annex A-4
LGU electrical permit and CFEISet by your city or municipalityJMC No. 001 s.2026; amounts not published
Bill-deposit update (VECO)If required; amount not publishedVECO net-metering page
The REC meter is optional now

A REC meter measures your total solar output for renewable energy certificates. Since the 2025 rules it is voluntary: skip it and you sign a notarised affidavit and waiver, and your own-use generation is estimated with an ERC formula.

NET METERING BY UTILITY

Same national rules, different front doors.

Every Cebu utility applies ERC Resolution No. 15, but each publishes different forms, hosting limits and generation charges. Find yours below.

Hosting capacity: the limit before the limit

The law allows net metering up to 100 kW, but the transformer on your street sets the practical ceiling. Each utility publishes how much solar a transformer can take before its impact study looks harder.

VECO and MECO use about 30% of the transformer’s rating, CEBECO I about 40%. Neighbours’ systems on the same transformer count against it.

Guide values only: VECO calls its table “for initial guidance only”, and the free impact study makes the final call. No hosting table found online for CEBECO II and III (16 Oct 2026). The transformer that serves you is usually on the pole nearest your service drop.

Solar a single-phase transformer can host, from each utility’s guide table (kW AC; MECO Jan 2026, CEBECO I Sep 2025)
TransformerVECOMECO (Jan 2026)CEBECO I (Sep 2025)
10 kVA3 kW3 kW—
15 kVA—5 kW6 kW
25 kVA7.5 kW8 kW10 kW
37.5 kVA11.25 kW12 kW15 kW
50 kVA15 kW15 kW20 kW
75 kVA22.5 kW23 kW30 kW
100 kVA30 kW30 kW40 kW

VISAYAN ELECTRIC (VECO)

VECO net metering requirements: forms online, impact study free.

What VECO publishes

A Net Metering Program page with an online application form, the ERC Certificate of Compliance forms (QE-COC Form 1 and 1.1 for solar), a plant-parameters and load-logger authorisation, the Net-Metering Agreement with and without a REC meter, and the affidavit and waiver: see VECO’s Net Metering Program page (opens in a new tab).

The page also lists signed and sealed electrical plans, equipment specifications, valid IDs and proof of ownership. The ERC limits what a utility may require to four items; the rest feeds the technical review, so expect to provide it.

VECO’s sequence
  1. Submit the application.
  2. Evaluation: a no-cost impact study, checks of the system and service entrance, billing clearance and bill-deposit review, and the LGU permit and CFEI.
  3. Pay applicable fees and update the bill deposit if required (amounts not published).
  4. Sign the Amended Net-Metering Agreement.
  5. Final inspection, bidirectional meter, then energisation and commissioning.
Hosting capacity

VECO’s transformer guide allows about 30% of the transformer rating:

  • 10 kVA → 3 kW
  • 25 kVA → 7.5 kW
  • 50 kVA → 15 kW
  • 100 kVA → 30 kW

Its feeder table dated 15 October 2026 lists 11 of 65 feeders with 0.00 MW of remaining capacity, so the impact study decides what your address can export.

Export credit

About ₱8/kWh in Sep 2026 on the PRESYO-PH tracker, against ₱14.89 all-in (Sep 2026). VECO posts its monthly generation rate only as images on its FAQ page, so check the generation line on your own bill.

Good to know

VECO lists residential and commercial customers as eligible. During the impact study it may install a load logger for 3 to 7 days. Applications are handled by its engineering office in Banilad, Cebu City.

MACTAN ELECTRIC (MECO)

MECO net metering: apply at the office, check your transformer.

Forms online

None found: we found no net-metering application page on MECO’s website on 16 October 2026. Ask at MECO’s office on Sangi Road, Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City, or use the lines on its contact page. The ERC four-item limit still applies.

Hosting capacity

MECO’s guide (posted 29 January 2026) allows about 30% of a single-phase transformer:

  • 15 kVA → 5 kW
  • 25 kVA → 8 kW
  • 50 kVA → 15 kW
  • 100 kVA → 30 kW

It also lists remaining capacity transformer by transformer on MECO’s hosting-capacity page (opens in a new tab). One 15 kVA unit on Feeder 14 was already 2 kW over its limit, so check before you size a large system.

Export credit

₱9.76/kWh generation charge (Sep 2026 billing) against ₱15.98 all-in (Sep 2026): about 61%. MECO’s own breakdown lists net-metering purchases as a generation source: about 34,561 kWh in its September 2026 breakdown, roughly 0.05% of its supply.

Good to know

The generation share moves a lot: it averaged 46.5% of MECO’s rate in 2025 and reached 61% in Sep 2026. Plan your savings on a cautious value, as our calculator does with 55%.

CEBECO I, II AND III

CEBECO net metering: three cooperatives, three levels of detail.

The electric cooperatives follow the same ERC rules. What they publish online differs a lot, so here is each one separately.

CEBECO I

Carcar & southern Cebu

Household rate
₱15.24Sep 2026
Export credit
₱8.62Sep 2026 · 57% of rate
  • Publishes a checklist, an application form and a process flow online (files dated Sep 2025 to Apr 2026).
  • Checklist: letter of intent, site and electrical plans signed and sealed by a PEE and the OBO, inverter and panel specifications, test certificates, IDs and proof of ownership, the CFEI and the ₱1,500 COC fee.
  • The form asks for “unintentional islanding” and “cease-to-energize” test certificates, and states that on-grid operation is not allowed until the application is approved.
  • Hosting guide of about 40% of the transformer rating: a 25 kVA transformer hosts about 10 kW.

CEBECO II

Northern Cebu

Household rate
About ₱15.9Sep 2026 · ICSC tracker
Export credit
not published55% assumed
  • No dedicated checklist or hosting table found online; its site says it is under maintenance and its latest rate advisory there is from March 2026.
  • It reproduces the ERC advisory of 22 September 2025 in full, so the four-item document limit applies.
  • No current generation charge is published online, so our estimator values CEBECO II exports at 55% of the rate, the value our calculator uses.

CEBECO III

Toledo, Balamban, Pinamungajan, Aloguinsan, Asturias

Household rate
About ₱15.08Oct 2026 · our sum of the rate schedule
Export credit
₱9.76Oct 2026 · 65% of rate
  • Posted the ERC advisory to on-grid utilities on 1 December 2025; no process page or hosting table found.
  • Its October 2026 breakdown shows a blended generation cost of ₱9.7619/kWh, and net metering supplying about 0.20% of its energy.
  • Its rate schedule also lists a ₱10.0411 generation system charge. The rule points to the blended cost, but confirm which figure appears on a net-metered bill.

Not sure which cooperative serves you? Your bill names it. Our solar guide for CEBECO customers covers rates, brownouts and sizing in each area.

Get a quote with the paperwork handled

WHAT OUR INSTALLATION INCLUDES

Net-metering-ready from the first drawing.

We design, supply and install the system, and an allowance for permit and net-metering paperwork sits inside the itemised estimate. Your proposal confirms which government and utility fees (the ₱1,500 COC, the meter difference, LGU permit and CFEI fees) it covers.

Sized for your use, not for export

The calculator sizes solar-only systems to cover about 70% of your annual use. In the ₱8,000 VECO example about 49% of the solar is used at home and the rest is exported at the generation charge, so midday use or a battery raises its value. The utility’s hosting table and its free impact study decide how much your transformer can take.

Inverters with anti-islanding

Our Deye hybrid inverters (SUN-5K to SUN-10K) list anti-islanding protection and IEC 62116 on Deye’s product pages, which the utilities’ technical reviews ask about.

Permits and utility paperwork

The paperwork allowance covers preparing the application and the permit filings. Your proposal lists exactly what it includes.

Configured, tested, supported

We configure and test the system, and after-sales support continues once the utility has installed your bidirectional meter.

Where the paperwork sits in a quote

Example: a ₱8,000 VECO bill, solar only. List prices from our calculator, before any promotion.

620W N-type TOPCon panel6 × ₱8,500
₱51,000
Deye SUN-5K-SG04LP1 (5 kW hybrid)1 unit
₱45,000
Mounting, cabling & protection6 × ₱4,000
₱24,000
Installation, permits & net-meteringdesign, installation, and the permit and net-metering paperwork allowance
₱37,200
Estimated total
₱157,200

Shown as a range of ₱145,000 to ₱170,000 until a site assessment. VAT treatment is confirmed in your proposal. The ₱37,200 line scales with system size; your proposal confirms which government and utility fees it covers. Compare it line by line with other offers using our guide to comparing solar quotes.

STRAIGHT ANSWERS

Net-metering questions, answered straight.

Including the ones Cebu homeowners ask most: cost, timing, cash and brownouts.

Local guides: VECO customers · MECO customers · CEBECO customers · all solar guides

01Magkano magpa-net metering sa VECO?

The fees set by the rules are modest. The ERC Certificate of Compliance fee is ₱1,500 (as listed in CEBECO I’s checklist, April 2026). An existing residential customer pays only the difference between the old meter and the bidirectional meter, capped at ₱3,000 by the ERC advisory of 22 September 2025, and the utility’s impact study and its testing and commissioning are free. Your city or municipality sets the electrical permit and CFEI fees, and VECO may ask you to update your bill deposit; neither amount is published.

Beyond those fees there is the engineering and paperwork: plans signed and sealed by a Professional Electrical Engineer, the permit filings and the utility application. Our itemised estimate includes an allowance for permit and net-metering paperwork in its “Installation, permits & net-metering” line, and your proposal lists exactly which filings and fees it covers.

02How do I apply for net metering with VECO, MECO or CEBECO?

In order: a Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE) signs and seals the plans, as RA 7920 requires; your city or municipality issues the electrical permit; the system is installed but not run on-grid; the LGU issues the Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection (CFEI); then you apply to the utility. Under the ERC advisory of 22 September 2025, the utility may ask only for its application form, the CFEI, the Amended Net-Metering Agreement and the COC fee.

The utility then runs a free impact study, tests and commissions the system at no charge, installs the bidirectional meter and sends your papers to the ERC. VECO and CEBECO I publish their forms online; for MECO, CEBECO II and CEBECO III, ask at the office.

03Will the utility pay me cash for the solar I export?

No. Exported energy becomes a peso credit on your bill, valued at the utility’s monthly generation charge. Under ERC Resolution No. 15 (2025), credits are banked and rolled over to later bills with no expiry, and they can transfer to a new owner if you sell the property. The rules contain no cash-out, so size your system for your own use rather than to sell power.

04Why is my export credit lower than the rate I pay?

Your all-in rate pays for generation plus transmission, system loss, distribution, subsidies and taxes. ERC Resolution No. 15, Annex A §13 sets the export price at the utility’s monthly generation charge only. In Sep–Oct 2026 that was about ₱8 to ₱9.76 per kWh, about 55–65% of the household rate where the utility publishes its own figure (MECO, Sep 2026: ₱9.76 against ₱15.98). That is why a kilowatt-hour you use yourself is worth more than one you export.

05How long does net-metering approval take?

The rules set maximum times, not guarantees: the LGU electrical permit within 3 working days and the CFEI within 7 (JMC No. 001 s.2026), and the utility’s whole process within 20 working days of a complete application (ERC Res. 15 §20). While the national energy emergency under EO 110 remains in force (one year from 24 March 2026 unless extended or lifted), a DOE advisory of 1 April 2026 cuts the utility’s limit to 10 working days. Real timing depends on complete documents and on the impact study for your transformer.

06Will net metering keep my lights on during a brownout?

No. Net metering is a billing arrangement. When the grid fails, a grid-tied inverter must stop exporting (anti-islanding protection), so a panels-only system goes dark even at noon. Only a hybrid inverter with a battery keeps a separate backup circuit running, which our battery backup guide explains.

07Can I add a battery later without losing net metering?

Usually. Net metering covers on-grid systems “with or without battery” (ERC Res. 15 §6). But the rules treat any modification to a net-metered system like a new customer’s application (§12), so expect a new Net-Metering Agreement and possibly a new impact study; confirm with your utility before adding a battery or changing the inverter. The Deye hybrid inverters we install are battery-ready, so a 5.12 kWh LiFePO4 battery can be added later; the paperwork still applies.

08Is there a size limit, and can the utility refuse my system?

Net metering covers systems up to 100 kW (RA 9513). Below that, the limit that matters is your local transformer. VECO’s and MECO’s guide tables allow about 30% of a transformer’s rating (a 25 kVA transformer hosts about 7.5–8 kW of solar), CEBECO I’s about 40%, and VECO’s feeder table of 15 October 2026 shows 11 of 65 feeders with no remaining capacity. The utility’s free impact study makes the final call for your address.

THREE WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD

Net-metering-ready solar,
at your pace.

See your own numbers first, with exports valued at 55% of your rate. Ask for a quote that includes the permit and net-metering paperwork allowance, or put a question to a person.

ROUTE A · INSTANT ESTIMATE

Get your own estimate.

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Your promo code takes 10% off your system estimate, up to ₱50,000.

Let’s start with your electricity bill.

Choose your usual monthly bill. An estimate is all you need.

Using VECO at ₱14.89/kWh · Sep 2026. You can change your provider later.

About 30 seconds · No obligation

ROUTES B & C · TALK TO US

Prefer a quote or a conversation?

Every quotation follows a site assessment of your roof, wiring and priorities, so the price you approve is the price of the system you get.

Request a net-metering-ready quote

Tell us your utility and usual bill. After a site assessment of your roof and wiring, we send an itemised proposal with the paperwork allowance included.

Request a net-metering-ready quote

No payment and no obligation. We only use your details for this enquiry.

Ask a solar advisor

Not ready for a quote? Ask about net metering with your utility and we’ll reply by phone or email.

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Sources & assumptions

Reviewed 16 October 2026 · Rates and generation charges change monthly; each figure shows its month

  1. Republic Act No. 9513, Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (Lawphil) (opens in a new tab)

    Approved 16 Dec 2008. §4(j): distributed generation up to 100 kW; §10: utilities must sign net-metering agreements.

  2. ERC Resolution No. 15, Series of 2025: 2025 Amended Net-Metering Rules (copy hosted by Visayan Electric) (opens in a new tab)

    Issued 27 Aug 2025. §6 with or without battery; §12 modifications; §13 export price = generation charge; §18 credits banked and rolled over; §19 REC meter voluntary; §20 20 working days.

  3. ERC advisory to on-grid distribution utilities, 22 Sep 2025 (as posted by CEBECO II) (opens in a new tab)

    Four-document limit, optional notarisation, residential meter difference capped at ₱3,000, free testing and commissioning.

  4. Meralco net-metering checklist citing the ERC advisory of 22 Sep 2025 (opens in a new tab)

    Feb 2026. Attributes the notarisation, e-signature and ₱3,000 points to the ERC advisory.

  5. DOE-DILG-DPWH Joint Memorandum Circular No. 001 s.2026 (DILG) (opens in a new tab)

    13 Jan 2026. Electrical permit within 3 working days, CFEI within 7, deemed approval, no extra LGU documents.

  6. Executive Order No. 110 s.2026, State of National Energy Emergency (Lawphil) (opens in a new tab)

    Signed 24 Mar 2026; in force for one year unless extended or lifted. No amending order found up to EO 124 (8 Sep 2026).

  7. DOE: fast-tracks net metering under EO 110 (opens in a new tab)

    1 Apr 2026. Utilities: 10 working days, non-extendible; LGUs: 3 working days; for the duration of the emergency.

  8. DOE Department Circular DC2025-10-0020 (multi-site net metering policy) (opens in a new tab)

    Issued 3 Oct 2025. Credit sharing among one customer’s accounts awaits ERC rules.

  9. Visayan Electric: Net Metering Program page and forms (opens in a new tab)

    Undated; cites the 2025 amended rules. Forms, document list, process and transformer hosting guide (“for initial guidance only”).

  10. Visayan Electric: September 2026 rate announcement (opens in a new tab)

    26 Sep 2026, updated 28 Sep 2026. ₱14.89/kWh for a 200 kWh household.

  11. Visayan Electric: hosting capacity per substation and feeder (as of 30 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    PDF VE-PSPD-REG-20261015-03, dated 15 Oct 2026: 11 of 65 feeders at 0.00 MW.

  12. MECO: September 2026 generation charge breakdown (opens in a new tab)

    Posted 1 Oct 2026. Generation charge ₱9.7611/kWh; net-metering purchases listed as a generation source.

  13. MECO: September 2026 average residential rate (opens in a new tab)

    ₱15.9806/kWh after VAT.

  14. MECO: rates page with monthly generation charge breakdowns, 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab)

    2025 monthly sheets, accessed 16 Oct 2026, cross-checked with the PRESYO-PH MECO series: the generation charge averaged 46.5% of the residential rate in 2025 (range about 39–52%). Our ratio of MECO’s figures.

  15. MECO: hosting capacity (opens in a new tab)

    Posted 29 Jan 2026. Transformer guide table and per-transformer list by feeder.

  16. CEBECO I: net metering requirements, form and process (opens in a new tab)

    Files dated Sep 2025 to Apr 2026: checklist incl. ₱1,500 COC fee, islanding test certificates, 40% hosting table.

  17. CEBECO I: power rates advisory, September 2026 billing (opens in a new tab)

    100 kWh residential: generation ₱8.62, total ₱15.24 per kWh.

  18. CEBECO III: generation charge breakdown, October 2026 (opens in a new tab)

    Posted 9 Oct 2026. Blended generation cost ₱9.7619/kWh, excluding OGA, URR adjustment and VAT.

  19. CEBECO III: rate schedule, October 2026 (opens in a new tab)

    Posted 9 Oct 2026. Residential total about ₱15.08/kWh at 100 kWh (our sum of the schedule lines).

  20. CEBECO III: advisory to on-grid distribution utilities (opens in a new tab)

    Posted 1 Dec 2025.

  21. PRESYO-PH electricity price tracker (ICSC) (opens in a new tab)

    Sep 2026 disclosures: VECO blended generation rate about ₱8.04/kWh; CEBECO II about ₱15.91/kWh all-in (±₱0.30).

  22. pv magazine: Philippines proposes grid reforms and net-metering updates (opens in a new tab)

    13 Jul 2026. ERC draft proposals; 23,684 net-metering customers (232 MW) at end-June 2026.

  23. BusinessMirror: ERC moves to fast-track adoption of net metering (opens in a new tab)

    13 Jul 2026. Same ERC data and draft proposals.

  24. PVGIS 5.3 (European Commission JRC), Cebu City (opens in a new tab)

    PVGIS-ERA5 2005–2023, run 16 Oct 2026: 1,420 kWh/kWp a year; March 138, January 107. The estimator uses a cautious 1,350.

  25. Deye SUN-5K/6K-SG04LP1 hybrid inverter data (opens in a new tab)

    Undated. Lists anti-islanding protection and IEC 61727 / IEC 62116.

  26. Deye SUN-7/7.6/8K-SG05LP1-EU-SM2 hybrid inverter data (opens in a new tab)

    Undated; the page covers the 7K to 10K models. Lists anti-islanding protection and IEC 61727 / IEC 62116.

USE IT FIRST, BANK THE REST

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A Cebu house with rooftop solar panels keeps its lights on during a brownout

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