The revised policy combines central and Delhi subsidies with utility-led installation, five years of free maintenance and faster net metering for eligible households.
Delhi households using an average of up to 400 units of electricity a month will be eligible for rooftop solar systems of up to 3 kW without paying installation costs upfront under the revised Delhi Solar Energy Policy approved by the cabinet.
The government aims to cover around 230,000 households and add 500 MW of rooftop solar capacity by March 2027, with the programme designed to remove the initial financial burden that has discouraged households from installing solar systems.
Eligibility will be based on average monthly electricity consumption during the 2025-26 financial year and will remain subject to technical feasibility.
Under the new zero-upfront-cost model, the government will provide financial support at the installation stage. For a 3 kW rooftop solar system, the central government subsidy under PM Surya Ghar is Rs 78,000, while the Delhi government will provide another Rs 78,000 as a capital subsidy.
The Delhi government will also provide an additional top-up to cover the difference between the subsidy amount and the tendered cost of the solar plant. As a result, eligible households will not have to arrange the installation cost upfront.
The Delhi Solar Portal currently lists both the central PM Surya Ghar subsidy and the Delhi government’s state subsidy as part of its rooftop solar support framework.
Existing electricity subsidies will continue for eligible consumers after solar panels are installed. Households consuming up to 200 units a month will continue to receive the existing 100 percent electricity subsidy.
A 3 kW solar system can generate around 300 units of electricity. A household consuming about 200 units could therefore potentially generate more electricity than it uses under suitable generation conditions.
Households will also be able to export surplus electricity to the grid through net metering. The government has said consumers will be paid for electricity supplied to the grid at the applicable rate based on the average power purchase cost of the relevant distribution company.
The scheme therefore combines reduced electricity costs with the possibility of receiving payments for surplus solar generation.
However, the government has not yet announced a separate application process or registration window specifically for the newly approved zero-upfront-cost scheme targeting 230,000 households.
The Delhi Solar Portal’s Citizens Corner currently provides options for applying for rooftop solar under the existing PM Surya Ghar scheme and the Delhi Solar Energy Policy 2023. Residential consumers can submit online applications through the national PM Surya Ghar portal.
Under the existing central scheme, an eligible consumer with a valid electricity consumer account number can apply through the national portal and select a registered rooftop solar vendor.
Consumers should not assume that an application through the existing PM Surya Ghar process automatically enrols them in the newly announced Delhi zero-upfront-cost programme. The revised policy has only recently been approved and a separate application procedure for the 230,000-household rollout has not yet been published.
The new programme will be implemented through a utility-led aggregation model. Indraprastha Power Generation Company Limited, or IPGCL, will select vendors through competitive bidding and oversee installation, vendor coordination, consumer assistance and grievance redressal.
Residents seeking the new free 3 kW systems will therefore need to wait for the Delhi government’s official application notification rather than treating an existing rooftop solar application as registration for the new programme.
Systems installed under the government programme will include free operation and maintenance for the first five years, with the selected vendors responsible for maintenance during that period.
After five years, consumers will be able to opt for maintenance and insurance facilities through their electricity distribution companies, according to the government’s announcement.
The revised policy also seeks to shorten the residential net metering process from around 75 days to 25 days. Application and registration fees for residential solar systems of up to 10 kW have also been waived.
Delhi currently has around 10,000 solar installations, many of them on government buildings. The revised policy aims to expand rooftop solar use among ordinary households while reaching its target of 500 MW of additional rooftop capacity by March 2027.
For eligible households, the programme combines zero upfront installation costs with continued electricity subsidies where applicable, electricity generated from rooftop systems, potential payments for surplus power and five years of free operation and maintenance.
Source: The Economic Times
