PM Surya Ghar: Streamlining Rooftop Solar Installations With New Guidelines For Discoms

The Government of India has approved the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which aims to boost solar rooftop capacity and allow consumers to generate their own electricity. The scheme is targeting the installation of rooftop solar systems for one crore households by the financial year 2026-27. The involvement of DISCOMs (Distribution Companies) and the Power Department is crucial for the scheme’s success.

To speed up implementation, recent changes to the Electricity (Rights to Consumers) Rules, 2020, were made. These changes waive the requirement for a technical feasibility study for rooftop solar systems up to 10 kW. Additionally, there are provisions for automatically increasing the consumer’s load up to 10 kW without the need for a separate approval process. The connection agreement, meter installation, and commissioning of the rooftop solar system must be completed within 15 days of the installation certificate submission.

To streamline the process further, it is recommended that all necessary fees, such as the application fee for rooftop solar, load enhancement charges, meter testing, and other related charges, be collected at the time of commissioning. These fees should also be clearly displayed on DISCOMs’ websites to avoid multiple visits by consumers to the offices. DISCOMs are also advised to prioritize the installation of smart meters under the scheme without charging consumers any extra fees.

It is important for DISCOMs to maintain a sufficient stock of tested net meters. Vendors should be allowed to submit meters for testing in batches of up to 100 meters, ensuring there is enough inventory available for rooftop solar installations. To reduce delays in net metering arrangements, DISCOMs are encouraged to adopt digital methods for accepting agreements, rather than requiring physical signatures. The signed copy from the DISCOM can be given to the consumer during the system’s commissioning.

Additionally, DISCOMs should ensure that consumer details are digitized and made available on their portals. This will allow easy access through the PM Surya Ghar portal, making the process more efficient. These steps are expected to significantly streamline the installation of rooftop solar systems under the scheme.

DISCOMs and the Power Department have been asked to ensure early implementation of these measures. Compliance reports are to be submitted to the Ministry by September 29, 2024.

Please view the document below for more details.