JSERC Amends Rooftop Solar Regulations To Ease Adoption Under PM Surya Ghar Scheme In Jharkhand

The Jharkhand State Electricity Regulatory Commission (JSERC) has issued a notification introducing the Sixth Amendment to its Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive System and Net/Gross Metering Regulations, 2015. The amendment aims to support and promote renewable energy generation in the state of Jharkhand. This notification was officially published in the Jharkhand Gazette on May 14, 2025, and is effective from the date of its publication unless reviewed or extended by the Commission.

The amendment modifies Clause 7.1 of the principal regulations. According to the revised clause, an eligible consumer or a third-party owner intending to install a grid-interactive rooftop solar PV system must submit an application in the prescribed form along with the applicable application fees. The application forms and related documents will be made available on the websites and local offices of the Distribution Licensees for ease of access. A significant change under this amendment is that if the applicant is applying under the central government’s PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana through the national portal, then no application or registration fees will be charged.

Another important update is made to Clause 7.13. Under this amendment, for applicants under the net metering scheme, the Distribution Licensee must execute the interconnection agreement, as per Annexure-V(B), within fifteen days of issuing the registration number. However, if the application is submitted under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, the execution of this interconnection agreement is not mandatory for the Distribution Licensee. Despite this, the rooftop solar PV system must be equipped with an isolation device, and the consumer must allow the Licensee access to it when required.

Additionally, the solar system should have an automatic disconnection or isolation mechanism that activates during a power outage on the Licensee’s system. All connected equipment must comply with relevant Indian or international standards such as IEEE, IEC, or BIS. Moreover, the installation of electrical equipment must follow the Central Electricity Authority’s Measures of Safety and Electricity Supply Regulations, 2010.

These amendments are part of the Commission’s efforts to simplify the process and make rooftop solar adoption more consumer-friendly, especially for those applying under central government schemes. The order was issued by Rajendra Prasad Nayak, Secretary of the Jharkhand State Electricity Regulatory Commission in Ranchi.