Chandigarh: Hold out for more free rooftop solar power plants

The UT Administration has been instructed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to halt the installation of free rooftop solar power plants in the city until new regulations are developed, which might cause the project to be delayed.

According to an official, the ministry decided to create new criteria for the construction of rooftop solar power plants using the Renewable Energy Services Company (RESCO) model. New installations could only begin after the new guidelines were released.

The PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which aims to build rooftop solar plants and provide free power to one crore families monthly for up to 300 units each, was recently launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the source, the rules that connect the plan and the RESCO model were being created.

In the meanwhile, the UT Department of Science and Technology is seeking bids to build 50 MW grid-connected rooftop solar systems at residential properties in the city on a best-of-brother basis, using the RESCO model.

According to the source, they anticipated that the rules will be released in a week or ten days. In order to prevent delays in work, the tender was floated. He said that new criteria were to be established and that the four businesses that had been impanelled for the installation of grid-connected rooftop solar power plants with capacities ranging from 1kWp to 500kWp had been requested to submit new bids.

The Chandigarh Renewable Energy Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) was given permission by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) in January to install grid-connected rooftop solar plants for residential customers by a third party in the city under the build, operate, and transfer (BOT) model of RESCO.

During the BOT term, the chosen company will sell the power produced by these plants to recoup the cost of installation. Over 1,200 applications for plant installation have been received by CREST. During the BOT era, homeowners would get power at a fixed cost of Rs 3.23 per unit under the RESCO model.

Ownership of the solar facility will be transferred to the customer at no extra cost when the BOT term ends. The home owner will need to offer around 500 square feet of area for a 5kWp solar plant under the new model.

The 50 MWp goal will be completed in two years.

With the development of rooftop solar power plants, the UT Administration has now set a goal to produce an extra 50 MWp (megawatt peak) of solar electricity in the city within two years.