ERC Orders Utilities to Streamline Net-Metering Process
- markallenperez
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
MANILA, Philippines — September 22, 2025 — The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has issued an advisory directing all on-grid distribution utilities (DUs) nationwide to standardize and simplify the documentary requirements for net-metering applications, in compliance with the government’s push to accelerate renewable energy adoption.
The directive follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), where the Department of Energy (DOE) and ERC were tasked to expedite net-metering processes for qualified end-users. The advisory mandates immediate implementation of uniform procedures and reduced paperwork.
Streamlined Documentary Requirements
Under the new guidelines, DUs may only require the following documents:
1. Application Form – Containing information on the net-metering facility necessary for the Certificate of Compliance (COC) application.
2. Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection (CFEI) – To be issued by the Local Government Unit.
3. Amended Net-Metering Agreement (NMA) – Notarization is no longer mandatory, and electronic signatures are allowed.
4. COC Application Fee – To be paid to ERC via cash, manager’s check, or the ERC-LBP Link.BizPortal for online transactions.
The ERC emphasized that no additional documents such as bills of materials or solar equipment catalogs should be required. DUs are also responsible for filing the COC on behalf of their customers using the revised COC Form No. 1.
Cost and Testing Guidelines
For residential customers upgrading to a bi-directional meter, the ERC limited the replacement cost to ₱3,000. Testing and commissioning of renewable energy (RE) facilities must be conducted by DU personnel at no cost to applicants. Any third-party testing shall also not be charged to customers, as this is part of the DU’s 20-day processing period.
Rebates and Billing
The ERC instructed DUs to begin computing and applying billing rebates for exported energy immediately after successful testing and commissioning, regardless of the date of COC submission.
Public Posting and Compliance
All DUs are required to post a digital copy of this advisory on their official websites and social media accounts by the first day of October, November, and December 2025. Non-compliance may result in administrative action.
Revised COC Forms
DUs are further required to fill out and submit the revised COC Forms 1 and 1.1 to the ERC on behalf of qualified end-users.
The advisory aims to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks, promote faster processing of renewable energy applications, and support the government’s ongoing clean energy initiatives.
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