Bhubaneswar: The Government of India in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has given its in-principle approval for the installation of 300 MW of rooftop solar capacity in Odisha under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, an initiative spearheaded by MNRE Secretary Shri Santosh Sarangi.
Shri Sarangi has been instrumental in driving this project forward, recently visiting Odisha to hold detailed discussions with top state officials.
He met with Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja and Principal Secretary of Energy Vishal Dev to iron out the implementation details and ensure a seamless rollout.
The State Government, in Department of Energy under the leadership of Shri Dev, has already initiated several key steps to facilitate the project’s success.
The project, which will be implemented through the Utility Led Aggregation (ULA) model, aims to install 3,00,000 rooftop solar systems, each with a 1 kW capacity.
The approval follows a detailed proposal and technical review by the MNRE.
Key features of the project include:
Affordable Access: The consumer contribution for each installation is capped at a maximum of ₹5,000 per kW after considering Central Financial Assistance (CFA) and state subsidies, making solar energy more accessible to the public.
Consumer Ownership: Consumers will own the rooftop solar systems, with a five-year operation and maintenance (O&M) period covered.
Strict Implementation: The installations must be exclusively on rooftops, utilizing a virtual net metering (VNM) system. The guidelines strictly prohibit ground-mounted, elevated, or community-based installations on non-roof areas.
Phased Rollout: The first phase involves the installation of 1,50,000 systems. Further sanctions for the remaining capacity will be contingent on the successful completion of at least 75% of the first phase and the achievement of a 25% installation target through the regular Capex mode.
Timely Execution: The implementation timeline for each installation is set at six months from the date of the work order, with the overall project completion not to exceed 12 months from the final sanction date. Sanctions will be automatically canceled if the necessary agreements are not signed within six months.
This collaboration between the Central and State Governments, with MNRE Secretary Shri Santosh Sarangi’s active involvement, and Principal Secretary Energy, Shri Vishal Dev’s overdrive, is set to significantly boost Odisha’s renewable energy capacity and provide a sustainable source of electricity for a large number of consumers.