Uttarakhand Solar Initiative: UPCL Targets 40,000 Rooftop Installations by 2027

The Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL), responsible for implementing the PM Surya Ghar Yojana (PMSGY) in the state, has announced a target to install 40,000 rooftop solar panels by 2027. Currently, 7,500 installations are in place under the scheme, which was launched in February. UPCL Chief Engineer Ashish Arora outlined the company’s goal during a seminar held in collaboration with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a policy research organization.

“The scheme, launched earlier this year, is currently being utilized mainly by households in Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, and Nainital. To broaden its impact, we are aiming for 40,000 installations by 2027,” Arora stated. He emphasized that raising awareness in other districts is key to achieving this target.

The scheme’s benefits include substantial subsidies. A typical 3 kV rooftop solar plant costs around Rs 2 lakh, but consumers pay about Rs 80,000 after combined state and central subsidies of Rs 1.2 lakh. Additionally, UPCL has set a high buyback rate for excess power generated at Rs 5 per unit, currently the most competitive rate nationwide, making the scheme financially viable for both consumers and empanelled vendors.

Arora also shared plans to expand the initiative to rural areas. “The state has formed a state-level coordination committee and district-level committees to identify villages that could become ‘model solar villages’ under the scheme,” he noted.

The initiative, with its substantial support for solar power adoption, reflects Uttarakhand’s commitment to renewable energy and aims to set a benchmark in sustainable development across the state.