Quarterly settlement explained: MONTH COUNT, carried-forward units and credit
Why one bill in three looks so different, what the REMAINING units on your bill mean, and what happens to your surplus.
Under the pre-2026 net-metering terms, net units are settled over a quarterly cycle. MONTH COUNT shows where the bill falls in it: on 1/3 and 2/3, net units are carried forward as REMAINING units; on 3/3, the whole quarter is priced at once, peak units at the peak rate and any off-peak surplus at the buyback rate. A rupee credit is adjusted against later bills (shown with CR) or paid out by the DISCO.
Most net-metering households notice a pattern: two ordinary bills, then one that looks completely different. That third bill is the settlement month. Understanding it explains most “sudden” solar bills.
The cycle on your bill
The net-metering QR code on a PITC bill carries a MONTH COUNT field, such as 1/3, 2/3 or 3/3. The second number is the cycle length (three months), the first is where this bill sits in it. Alongside it are four carried-forward fields:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
REMAINING-PREVIOUS-OP | Off-peak net units carried into this bill |
REMAINING-PREVIOUS-PK | Peak net units carried into this bill |
REMAINING-PRESENT-OP | Off-peak net units carried out to next month |
REMAINING-PRESENT-PK | Peak net units carried out to next month |
A minus sign means a surplus: you sent more than you took.
A worked quarter
Our sample LESCO bill is September 2026, month 3/3. It shows:
- Carried in from July and August: −1,066 off-peak (surplus) and 622 peak (owed).
- September’s own net units: −47 off-peak and 326 peak.
At settlement both are added:
Quarter off-peak = −1,066 + (−47) = −1,113 surplus
Quarter peak = 622 + 326 = 948 owed
Peak: 948 × Rs 46.85 = 44,413.80
Surplus: −1,113 × Rs 25.32 = −28,181.16
Cost of electricity = 16,232.64 (bill: 16,232.51)The quarter ended 165 units in surplus, yet the energy cost was over Rs 16,000, because peak and off-peak are settled separately and at different prices. After it, all four REMAINING fields reset to 0 and the next cycle starts. The fixed charge, adjustments and taxes are added to make the bill: see the full calculation.
Why the settlement bill is bigger
Peak units pile up silently through months 1 and 2, because panels can’t export in the evening. Month 3 prices all of them together. So a settlement bill can easily be two or three times the bills before it, without anything changing in your home. If your months 1 and 2 are small and month 3 is large, this is almost certainly why.
Tip: watch REMAINING-PRESENT-PK on your 1/3 and 2/3 bills. It is a running total of the peak units you will pay for at settlement. Solar Bill shows it as a forecast.
What happens to your surplus
Under the net-metering regulations (2015, as amended in 2018), a net surplus is bought back at the national average power purchase price, Rs 25.32 per unit for 2026, and either credited to the next cycle or paid quarterly. DISCOs do not pay peak rates, fixed charges or adjustments on exported units.
In practice, most households see the value as a CR (credit) balance on the bill. Our sample account carried Rs 185,086 CR into September; the Rs 22,628 September bill was taken out of it, leaving Rs 162,458 CR. If your credit keeps growing and you want it paid out, ask your DISCO’s customer services in writing; see how to raise a complaint.
Seasonal pattern
- March to June: long, strong sun. Big surpluses; credit grows.
- July to September: monsoon cloud and heavy AC use in the 7–11 PM peak. Peak units climb.
- November to February: short days and smog. Exports fall; credit is drawn down.
Judging a solar system by one settlement bill is misleading. Look at a full year of bills, which the bill-history table on the right-hand side of the bill (and Solar Bill’s trend view) gives you.
Net billing is different
Under the 2026 Prosumer Regulations, new solar users are on net billing: imports and exports are valued in rupees every month, with exports at Rs 8.13 per unit, and there’s no unit carry-forward. Households with a net-metering agreement signed before 9 February 2026 keep the quarterly system until the agreement expires. See net metering vs net billing.
Questions people ask
What does MONTH COUNT 1/3 mean?
It is the first month of a three-month settlement cycle. This month’s net units are carried forward rather than fully settled.
What does MONTH COUNT 3/3 mean?
It is the settlement month. Units carried from the first two months are added to this month’s net units and priced together, then the carried-forward figures reset to zero.
What are REMAINING-PREVIOUS and REMAINING-PRESENT units?
REMAINING-PREVIOUS is the net units carried into this bill from earlier months of the cycle. REMAINING-PRESENT is what carries out of it into next month. A minus sign means a surplus (exported more than imported).
Does the DISCO pay me for surplus units?
Under the net-metering regulations, a net surplus is credited to the next cycle or paid quarterly at the national average power purchase price. In practice many households see the credit kept on their account as a CR balance and used against later bills.
Why did my credit balance go down in winter?
Winter bills have fewer exports and earlier peak hours, so each bill is charged and taken out of your credit. That is normal; the credit is being used rather than lost.
Is there quarterly settlement under net billing?
No. Under the 2026 Prosumer Regulations, net billing is settled monthly in rupees. A net credit is carried to the next bill or paid quarterly.
Solar Bill is independent and not affiliated with NEPRA, PITC or any DISCO. Rates, taxes and rules change; your DISCO’s bill is the official record. Policy facts above link to their public sources.