PUNE: Rooftop solar power production in the state has increased to 1,300 megawatts (MW) in 2022 against just 20 megawatts in 2016, said Vijay Singhal, chairman and managing director of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).
According to MSEDCL, the rooftop solar scheme is being implemented in the state in collaboration with the Centre’s new and renewable energy ministry from 2016-17. In the first year, just 1,000 consumers were part of it, while the number has now increased to over 76,000, mainly from the bigger housing societies across the urban areas in major cities.
Singhal said, “In the last 10 months, the number of customers installing solar power generation sets at home has increased by 20,722 while the capacity of this type of solar power generation has increased by 331 MW.”
The press statement from the MSEDCL stated in rooftop solar scheme, customers get huge subsidy from central government for generating solar energy.
The cost of installing a panel of up to 3 kilowatts is about Rs 1.20 lakh, and of that, approximately Rs 48,000 or a 40 per cent subsidy is available. So it costs the customer around Rs 72,000. Due to the electricity generated from solar energy, the consumer has to use less of the usual electricity supply which reduces the electricity bill.
The objective of this scheme is to facilitate domestic consumers. However, industrial consumers are also generating power through rooftop solar.
Customers who want to install panels for solar power generation have to apply through www.Mahadiscom.in/iSmart website of Mahadiscom.
As a part of the scheme, of the total project cost – excluding the subsidy amount – the remaining amount of the rooftop solar plant is to be paid to the agency concerned selected by the consumers. MSEDCL authorities said nodal officers will be appointed to solve the issues faced by the agencies at the regional level in getting a share of money assured from the government.
Source: PTI
