PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana To Reach 30,000 Homes In Coimbatore By 2027

(MENAFN- IANS) Chennai, Oct 1 (IANS) The Coimbatore region of Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) is set to install rooftop solar panels on 30,000 houses by March 2027 as part of the Prime Minister Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.

The initiative is a key step in boosting clean energy use and helping households cut down on electricity expenses.

Statewide, TNPDCL plans to cover 1.8 lakh homes with rooftop solar systems by the same deadline. Since the scheme's launch in February 2024, around 36,000 houses across Tamil Nadu have already installed solar panels, with 6,000 of them in the Coimbatore region alone -- the highest in the state.

In the Coimbatore Metro division, which includes the city's core urban areas, 2,500 homes have adopted rooftop solar.

The scheme aims to help residential consumers generate their own power and reduce reliance on the grid. It provides a 60 per cent subsidy on the cost of solar units up to 2kW capacity and 40 per cent on the additional cost for systems between 2kW and 3kW.

The subsidy is capped at 3kW, translating to support of Rs 30,000 for a 1kW unit, Rs 60,000 for 2kW, and Rs 78,000 for 3kW or higher. Rooftop solar systems cost about Rs 70,000 for 1kW, Rs 1.4 lakh for 2kW, and Rs 3 lakh for 3kW.

Many banks are offering loans at around 6 per cent interest, making adoption easier for households.

Surplus solar power generated can be credited to consumers' electricity accounts and adjusted against bills until the end of the financial year.

To drive participation, TNPDCL has set up 18 special camps in Coimbatore where residents can meet banks and solar vendors for price quotes and loan options.

Additionally, five village panchayats -- Arasur, Solavampalayam, Puravipalayam, Theethipalayam, and Kondayampalayam -- have been chosen for a“Model Solar Village” competition.

The panchayat achieving the highest number of solar connections within six months will win a Rs one crore cash prize. Officials said the combined push of subsidies, easy financing, and outreach initiatives is expected to make rooftop solar more accessible, while also supporting Tamil Nadu's larger renewable energy goals and easing the demand on the power grid.

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