New Delhi: Households in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) areas will now be able to install solar panel on rooftops to generate electricity but would have to sell it to the civic body and cannot utilise it for their consumption. In a first-of-its kind scheme launched by NDMC, the households in areas under its jurisdiction are being encouraged to install solar panels and get them linked with the civic body’s power grid.
NDMC will purchase the electricity from the households and adjust the amount against the monthly bill. The scheme, which is part of NDMC’s smart city project, has also received the nod of Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC). “As per the scheme, the households will have to get the solar panels installed at their own cost and apply to NDMC for connecting it with our electricity distribution network,” a senior NDMC official said.
“Once the application is received we will conduct a feasibility analysis that whether their solar plants are compatible with our power grid and then only the connection will be granted. The applicant will also have to pay us a fee of Rs 500 for the feasibility check,” the official said. NDMC has already received six applications for the scheme which is scheduled to be implemented from next month.
“After the connection is granted the consumer will have to install a ‘net-meter’ which can be procured from NDMC but the cost will have to be borne by the applicant himself. The meter will be able to calculate the power sold within a month. “The net metering system will have two dials. While one dial will record the amount of electricity that the consumer is drawing, the other will record the amount of electricity that the consumer is exporting as surplus power and final adjustments will be made in the bill,” the official said.
However, the rates of the power consumed and power sold will be different. While the power will be sold to consumers in accordance with DERC tariff rates, it will be purchased on average procurement basis. Initially, the scheme is being launched for domestic consumers, however, NDMC plans to extend it to commercial establishments in the longer run.
