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New rules expand solar access for apartments, villages and small consumers.

Discoms Announce Guidelines for Virtual and Group Net Metering

Distribution companies (discoms) have issued detailed guidelines for implementing virtual and group net metering, greatly expanding access to solar power for residential, commercial, and industrial consumers. The new framework enables residents of apartments, housing societies, and villages to benefit from shared solar installations, while offices and industries can also utilise the mechanism to offset their electricity consumption. Rooftop solar projects of up to 10 kW for domestic consumers will now be considered automatically approved, removing the need for technical studies. For larger systems, technical clearance timelines have been capped at 15 days for existing consumers and 30 days for new connections, ensuring quicker project implementation. Solar plants can be installed not only on rooftops but also on balconies, vacant land, public land, and even water bodies. Consumers can apply through their local assistant engineer’s office, which must grant approval within 30 days. Importantly, domestic consumers adopting these models will be exempt from wheeling charges, banking charges, and cross-subsidy surcharge, significantly improving project economics and encouraging broader adoption of solar energy.