New Delhi: Delhi govt will provide free rooftop solar systems to domestic consumers with average monthly electricity consumption of up to 400 units, with govt bearing the entire cost of the solar panels and their installation.The cabinet, chaired by chief minister Rekha Gupta, Tuesday approved the amendments to the existing solar policy to enable the rollout of the scheme. The move is part of govt’s push to promote solar power generation in the capital.The chief minister said Delhi aims to install solar systems on 2.3 lakh rooftops and add 500 MW of rooftop solar capacity under Delhi Solar Policy by March next year.“Consumers will not have to pay any amount for the installation. Importantly, consumers using up to 200 units of electricity will not only continue to receive the benefit of the subsidy after installing the solar system, but also earn an energy-saving incentive against the electricity they save,” the chief minister’s office said in a statement.Gupta said the decision would make solar adoption easier for ordinary households without imposing any financial burden.“Domestic consumers with average monthly electricity consumption of up to 400 units will be provided rooftop solar systems of up to 3 kW at zero upfront cost, subject to technical feasibility for such installation. Along with the Rs 78,000 subsidy provided by Union govt, Delhi govt will also provide a capital subsidy of Rs 78,000. In addition, Delhi govt will, through an additional top-up, cover the difference between the subsidy and the tendered cost of the solar plant,” she said, adding that Delhi govt was implementing PM Narendra Modi’s vision of PM Surya Ghar on the ground.Power minister Ashish Sood said the free solar system installation will put a burden of Rs 1,900 crore on Delhi govt, which will be recovered largely through savings on subsidies and electricity purchases over four years. “People need not pay even a single rupee for the installation of a domestic solar system,” said Sood.The revised policy eliminates upfront payments and provides govt-funded installation and five years of free maintenance. Consumers will also have the option of availing discom maintenance for the system’s 25-year lifespan, along with net-metering benefits.Gupta said Delhi’s existing electricity subsidy would continue, allowing eligible consumers to benefit from both the subsidy and savings generated by rooftop solar systems.A 3 kW solar system can generate around 300 units of electricity. Households consuming around 200 units can export surplus power to the grid and receive payment at the average power purchase cost of the discom.“Under the new policy, the net-metering process for residential solar systems, the mechanism through which consumers receive credit for surplus electricity sent to the grid or a reduction in their monthly bills, has also been expedited. The process which earlier took around 75 days has now been reduced to 25 days. In addition, application and registration fees for residential solar systems of up to 10 kW have been completely waived,” Gupta said.Work to install solar systems on govt buildings is already underway. So far, 10,073 solar systems have been installed in Delhi, many of them on govt buildings.The scheme will be implemented through a utility-led aggregation model. Indraprastha Power Generation Company Ltd (IPGCL) will select vendors through competitive bidding to ensure competitive pricing and quality. It will also oversee installation, vendor coordination, grievance redressal and consumer support.Sood said the cabinet had approved amendments to the Delhi Solar Energy Policy, 2023. “For years, Arvind Kejriwal tried to frighten the people of Delhi by saying that if BJP came to power, free electricity would be stopped. The same BJP govt is securing and institutionalising it for the next 25 years,” Sood said.When TOI reached out to AAP on the same, there was no response.
