TIRUPATI: Solar power consumption is steadily increasing across Nellore, Tirupati, Chittoor, Annamayya, Kadapa, Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, and Sri Sathya Sai districts under the jurisdiction of APSPDCL.
The Central Government introduced the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana scheme, enabling consumers to benefit through solar net-metering by exporting surplus electricity to the grid and earning income. Naravaripalle, has emerged as a “Solar Village” with solar panels installed on every household.
As part of the State Government’s renewable energy initiative, rooftop solar plants with a total proposed capacity of 415 MW are being installed for 2.07 lakh SC and ST domestic consumers under APSPDCL limits, with each household receiving a 2 kW solar unit. These beneficiaries are households consuming below 200 units of electricity per month. So far, APSPDCL has completed the installation of 46,049 rooftop solar systems, generating 92.10 MWp of solar power under the SC and ST categories.
In addition, 32,201 rooftop solar systems have been installed under the CAPEX model for consumers belonging to other communities, generating another 108.86 MWp of solar power. Altogether, APSPDCL has completed 78,250 rooftop solar installations, achieving a combined solar power generation capacity of nearly 201 MWp.
In the Kuppam constituency alone, 4.36 MW of solar power is being generated through the installation of 2 kW rooftop solar systems for 1,980 SC and ST consumers. Solar systems have also been installed for 98 non-SC, non-ST consumers in constituency.
APSPDCL CMD Siva Sankar Lotheti said the organisation is taking steps to encourage rooftop solar adoption among non-SC/ST consumers as well.