VISAKHAPATNAM: The Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL) has installed nearly 31,000 rooftop solar plants with a total capacity of 100 MW across its jurisdiction.
Chairperson and Managing Director (CMD) Prudhvi Tej Immadi said the installations were completed under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, and 31,022 rooftop units with a combined capacity of 1,00,026 kW have been connected to the grid so far.
According to the data provided by APEPDCL, Eluru district has the highest number of installations, with 4,134 consumers setting up systems totaling 13,491 kW.
Kakinada has 3,960 installations with a capacity of 12,923 kW, while Visakhapatnam has 3,715 installations generating 13,131 kW. In East Godavari, 3,532 consumers have installed plants with a combined capacity of 11,516 kW, and West Godavari has 3,382 installations amounting to 10,945 kW. Srikakulam has 3,366 systems generating 10,326 kW, followed by Vizianagaram with 3,279 installations producing 10,242 kW.
Anakapalle district has 2,841 installations with a capacity of 8,712 kW, and Konaseema district has 1,934 systems totaling 6,091 kW. Parvathipuram-Manyam recorded 864 installations with a capacity of 260 kW, while ASR district reported 15 installations generating 48 kW.
The CMD said the scheme is gaining acceptance as it allows households to meet their electricity needs for up to 20 years with a one-time investment. “Any excess power generated can be supplied to the grid, providing additional income to consumers. APEPDCL is conducting awareness programmes to help people benefit from the scheme,” Prudhvi Tej noted.
“A minimum of 100 square feet of rooftop space is required for a 1 kW solar plant. Subsidies include Rs 30,000 for 1 kW, Rs 60,000 for 2 kW, and up to Rs 78,000 for 3 kW. A 3 kW plant can generate between 360 and 450 units per month, enabling consumers to use what they need and sell the surplus to APEPDCL,” he elaborated.
“To address this, consumers living in apartments but owning an independent house anywhere in the 11 districts under APEPDCL can install a plant on that house and transfer the generated units through the Virtual Net Metering system,” the CMD stated. These units can then be used in their apartment, reducing monthly bills. Apartment common services may also install rooftop solar systems based on their contracted load and are eligible for subsidies of `18,000 per kW for capacities up to 500 kW.
“Banks are offering low-interest EMI-based loans for installations. Consumers may apply through the PM Surya Ghar portal and choose an empanelled vendor for installation. There is no fee for applying or for the net metre, and those using smart metres do not require a separate net metre,” he added.
Further information is available on the APEPDCL website, and consumers can contact the toll-free number 1912 for assistance related to the scheme.