TAURON Prosumers to Receive Monthly Invoices: What Does This Mean in Practice?

The change in the settlement period, receiving a bill despite having a surplus of energy, and funds remaining on the prosumer account are issues that may raise questions among owners of photovoltaic installations. From September 1, 2026, all prosumers connected to TAURON’s distribution network will be settled on a monthly cycle. What does this mean in practice? Does unused energy expire? Is it necessary to change the contract, and why might a bill for one month be higher than expected?

We have prepared a guide explaining the key principles of prosumer settlements. We also highlight which items on the invoice deserve attention to help you better control your energy costs.

What changed from September 1, 2026?

The most significant change concerns the frequency of invoice issuance. Prosumers who previously settled their accounts every 2, 6, or 12 months are now subject to a monthly settlement cycle. This change stems from the TAURON Dystrybucja distribution tariff approved by the President of the Energy Regulatory Office.

Starting in September, invoices are issued based on current data regarding energy consumption, rather than forecasts covering subsequent months.

This change does not require the signing of a new contract. It is important to distinguish between two issues: the settlement period determines how often we receive an invoice, while the settlement system determines how energy fed back into the grid is accounted for. For TAURON prosumers, the first of these rules changed in September, but net-metering and net-billing continue to operate under the existing conditions.

Does a monthly invoice mean higher bills?

It does not have to be that way. However, it is important to remember that the amount of individual invoices may vary from month to month.

A photovoltaic installation does not produce the same amount of energy throughout the year. In summer, when solar irradiance is higher, a household can cover a significant portion of its electricity demand from its own installation and feed the surplus into the grid. In autumn and winter, production usually declines, while energy consumption may increase.

Under monthly settlement, these differences are visible in real time. In a month with high PV production, the bill may be low, while during periods of lower solar irradiance, it may be higher.

Previously, under longer settlement periods, costs and consumption were aggregated on a single invoice covering several months. Currently, it is easier to notice when and why the amount due changes.

It is also worth remembering that the bill covers not only the settlement of active energy. It also includes distribution fees and other charges arising from the tariff and the contract.

Important change: subscription fee

The transition to a monthly billing cycle also involves a change in the monthly subscription fee for distribution. In the C1x, G1x, O1x, A2x, B1x, and B2x tariffs, this fee is 5.61 PLN (gross) per month. In the C2x tariff, it is 11.69 PLN (gross) per month.

It is important to take this item into account when comparing new invoices with older bills. The difference in the amount due is not necessarily caused solely by energy consumption or the operation of the photovoltaic installation.

Net metering and net billing – two different ways of settling solar photovoltaic installations

To correctly interpret the invoice, one must first determine which settlement system applies to the installation. In Poland, two basic models are in operation: net metering, referred to as the feed-in tariff system, and net billing.

Net metering – energy settlement in kilowatt-hours

Under this system, energy fed back into the grid creates a surplus that can be utilized later. It is not converted into monetary value. For each 1 kWh of energy introduced into the grid, a prosumer can offset:

These values are derived from the rules of the feed-in tariff system. They indicate that not every kilowatt-hour returned to the grid can be subsequently retrieved.

Net billing – settlement of energy value

Under this system, the energy fed into the grid is valued according to the prices published by PSE. This value credits the prosumer’s deposit, from which the charges for energy consumed from the supplier are settled.

Depending on the rules applicable to a given prosumer, either the monthly market energy price (RCEm) or the price resulting from market settlement over shorter periods (RCE) is applied. In both systems, the energy returned to the grid is settled under slightly different rules. However, the introduction of monthly billing at TAURON does not change these rules.

Does unused energy surplus expire after a month?

No. This is one of the most important points that needs to be clarified.

A monthly settlement period does not mean that the energy produced or the funds accumulated in a given month must be used up by the end of that month. Any unused surplus is carried over to subsequent periods, in accordance with the rules applicable to the specific system.

Under net metering, energy fed into the grid can be recovered within 12 months of its injection. Under net billing, the funds recorded on the prosumer deposit remain valid for 12 months, in line with the prevailing settlement rules.

Why am I receiving a bill if I have a surplus from my photovoltaic system?

Owning a photovoltaic system and having energy surpluses does not automatically mean that the bill will be zero. This is due to several reasons.

First, not all energy is delivered to the home at the time of production. The installation may generate a large amount of energy at noon, when the household consumes very little. The surplus is then fed into the grid. In the evening or at night, when the panels are not producing energy, the household draws power from the grid.

Second, settlement systems do not guarantee the full recovery of energy fed into the grid. In net metering, a discount coefficient applies. In net billing, energy is valued according to PSE prices, and its value may not correspond to the cost of subsequently purchasing energy.

Third, the bill also includes distribution and fixed charges. Even if the value of energy stored in the prosumer deposit covers the cost of active energy, it does not automatically mean that all other liabilities are covered.

Fourth, seasonality matters. In summer, the installation may generate large surpluses, whereas in winter, the household may draw significantly more energy from the grid.

Therefore, when analyzing the bill, it is worth checking not only the final amount, but also the amount of energy consumed and fed back into the grid, the surplus balance, and the fees charged.

How to read a prosumer invoice?

It is best to analyze it in several steps, rather than focusing solely on the amount due.

Check the billing period. Make sure you understand which dates the invoice covers. From September 2026, prosumers connected to the TAURON Dystrybucja network will be settled on a monthly cycle.

See how much energy was drawn from the grid. This is the amount of energy the household needed but did not cover directly with its own production. It is worth comparing this value with previous months.

Check the amount of energy fed back into the grid. This information allows you to assess what portion of the installation’s production was not consumed on-site. It is important to remember that the amount of energy produced by the installation is not the same as the amount of energy fed back into the grid.

Check the energy balance or deposit. In net metering, attention should be paid to the available energy surplus. In net billing, the funds accumulated in the prosumer deposit and their utilization are key.

Examine the fees. It is worth checking the distribution fees, subscription fees, and other items resulting from the tariff and the contract. This helps determine what portion of the bill is related to the purchase of energy and what portion is related to its distribution and other fees.

In case of any doubts, you can use the measurement data available in TAURON's online services.

What about forecasts and prepayments?

With the change in the settlement cycle, TAURON closed the previous settlement periods as of August 31, 2026. This applied to customers who previously used two-month, six-month, and twelve-month cycles. After this date, invoices are issued monthly, and forecasts with payment due dates falling after August 31, 2026, have been canceled.

If a prosumer has already paid a forecast covering months after this date, it is worth checking how the payment was accounted for in the settlement.

The change in the settlement period itself does not result in the loss of energy surpluses or funds accumulated in the prosumer deposit.

Can you opt out of monthly settlements?

For prosumers connected to the TAURON Dystrybucja grid, a monthly settlement cycle becomes mandatory from September 1, 2026. This change stems from the distribution tariff and applies to points of consumption within this operator's service area.

It is not possible to retain the previous settlement cycle solely by changing the energy supplier, as long as the point of consumption remains connected to the TAURON Dystrybucja grid. The rules governing the settlement period are dictated by the operator's tariff.

However, this does not mean that prosumers must change their existing photovoltaic settlement system. Net metering or net billing remains a separate issue.

How to better utilize energy from your own installation?

Regardless of the settlement system, self-consumption, meaning the use of energy at the point of its generation, plays a significant role. The more energy we consume while the photovoltaic installation is operating, the less we need to draw from the grid later. Therefore, it is worth adjusting some daily activities to the hours of PV production.

An energy storage system can help shift the use of part of the production to hours when the installation is not operating. However, this does not mean that it will be cost-effective in every household. Before investing, it is worth checking how much energy is currently being fed into the grid and what portion could be utilized on-site.

Where can you find information about your settlement?

If you have any questions about your bill, start by reviewing its details, the billing period, and the energy balance or deposit. Measurement data and information provided by TAURON can also be helpful.

Detailed explanations regarding the change in the billing period, its impact on bills, and the rules for settling energy surpluses are available on the following page: Change in the billing period for prosumers.