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Rooftop solar in Telangana: subsidy, the Gruha Jyothi solar plan and TGERC’s 2025 net metering rules
The central subsidy, the state’s plan to put DISCOM-run plants on Gruha Jyothi homes, what TGERC’s 2025 regulation changed for net metering, the fees and approval clock, and how to apply with TGSPDCL or TGNPDCL.
Telangana has been slower than its neighbours to take up the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. By 31 July 2026 the state had 86,897 applications on the national portal and 55,596 systems installed, covering 71,367 households with 204.90 MW, and ₹331.81 crore of central subsidy had been released, according to figures the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy gave the Lok Sabha. Andhra Pradesh, by comparison, had more than ten times as many applications.
Two things changed the picture from late 2025. TGERC replaced its 2016 rooftop rules with a new regulation on 15 November 2025, and on the same day the state government approved a utility-led programme to put rooftop plants on 20.33 lakh homes, tied to the Gruha Jyothi free-power scheme. For a household deciding now, the first question is whether it is likely to be covered by that programme or should buy its own system.
As on 25 October 2026: central subsidy ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW plus ₹18,000 for the third kW (maximum ₹78,000). No general state top-up for self-financed home systems. Net metering under TGERC Regulation No. 1 of 2025, up to 100% of sanctioned load for homes. Application fee ₹2,500 (LT), waived by TGSPDCL for eligible applications from 22 June 2026 to 31 March 2027. Figures can change; your DISCOM, TGERC and the national portal have the final word.
What you get, by household
| Household | Central subsidy (₹) | State support | Who installs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any domestic consumer, 1 kW | 30,000 | None | You, through a registered vendor |
| Any domestic consumer, 2 kW | 60,000 | None | You, through a registered vendor |
| Any domestic consumer, 3 kW or more | 78,000 (maximum) | None | You, through a registered vendor |
| Gruha Jyothi household selected for the utility-led programme | Used towards the plant | State-backed programme run through TGREDCO | DISCOM side (utility-led aggregation) |
| Housing society or RWA, common facilities | 18,000 per kW, up to 500 kW (3 kW per house) | None | Society, through a registered vendor |
The central subsidy is paid into the beneficiary’s bank account after the system is installed, inspected, net metered and verified on the portal. TGREDCO’s guidance for sizing is 1 to 2 kW for homes using up to 150 units a month, 2 to 3 kW for 150 to 300 units, and more than 3 kW above that.
The Gruha Jyothi solar programme
Gruha Jyothi gives eligible households free electricity up to 200 units a month, with the state paying the DISCOMs for it. Putting solar on those roofs lowers that bill for the state, which is the logic of the programme approved on 15 November 2025.
- Scale: 20.33 lakh households and 4,066 MW statewide, implemented by TGREDCO under the utility-led aggregation model.
- TGSPDCL’s share: 10,11,533 households identified, with a target of 2,023 MW.
- First phase: MNRE has given in-principle approval for 20,175 installations, a small fraction of the homes identified.
- Rural solarisation: the government has also sanctioned ₹943.47 crore, of which ₹306.66 crore is for 40,349 domestic rooftop systems (80,698 kWp) in 80 villages, 14,898 of those homes in 43 villages under TGSPDCL, and ₹636.81 crore for solarising 16,805 farm pump sets.
Under this model the households are selected and the plants arranged on the DISCOM side, not by the household hiring a vendor. If your bill is already zero under Gruha Jyothi, buying your own system saves you little; it makes more sense for homes that regularly go over 200 units or are not eligible for the scheme.
TGERC’s 2025 rooftop regulation
The Telangana Electricity Regulatory Commission (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive Systems) Regulation, 2025 came into force on 15 November 2025 and repealed Regulation No. 6 of 2016 and its 2021 amendment. The points that matter for households:
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Arrangements | Net metering (up to 500 kWp), gross metering (up to 1 MWp), group net metering (domestic and residential colonies, under 100 kWp) and virtual net metering (under 100 kWp). One arrangement per prosumer. |
| System size for homes | Minimum 1 kWp; maximum 100% of sanctioned load under net or gross metering (80% for industrial and commercial users). Group and virtual net metering need at least 10 kWp. |
| Transformer limit | Low-tension rooftop capacity is capped at 50% of a distribution transformer’s rating, allotted first come, first served. DISCOMs must publish spare capacity by transformer and update it every quarter. |
| Surplus | Monthly excess export is settled at the lowest solar tariff discovered by the state DISCOMs in the previous financial year. |
| Charges | No banking, wheeling, cross-subsidy or additional surcharge under net and gross metering. |
| Metering | Smart meters with advanced metering infrastructure; the connection agreement places the bi-directional meter at the prosumer’s cost. |
| Term | 25 years from grid connection. |
Because surplus is bought at a bidding-level solar tariff rather than the retail rate, the best value comes from sizing the system to what the house uses, not from exporting.
Where rooftop solar stands in TGSPDCL
TGSPDCL, which serves Hyderabad and the southern districts, reported these figures as of 9 October 2026. Across all its rooftop programmes it counted 79,976 registrations and 62,818 installations with 831.872 MW.
| Programme | Registrations | Installed | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM Surya Ghar (homes) | 44,662 | 29,816 | 125.613 MW |
| Net metering (other consumers) | n/a | 29,777 | 640.852 MW |
| Model Solar Village | n/a | 3,190 | n/a |
| PM-KUSUM Component A | n/a | 35 | n/a |
Most of the capacity is in commercial, industrial and other non-household net metering, where systems are much larger. Household uptake under PM Surya Ghar is about two-thirds of registrations.
How to apply
- Register on pmsuryaghar.gov.in with your service connection number, choose TGSPDCL or TGNPDCL, and pick a registered vendor. Our PM Surya Ghar guide has the steps.
- The DISCOM processes the net metering request; the local Divisional Engineer (Operations) is the nodal officer. Systems up to 10 kWp need no technical feasibility study, and for larger ones feasibility is due within 15 working days of a complete application.
- Sign the connection agreement (on ₹200 non-judicial stamp paper, per TGSPDCL’s form) and have the vendor install the plant. Home systems up to 56 kWp can be self-certified.
- After inspection, the DISCOM installs and seals the bi-directional smart meter and synchronises the plant.
- The vendor uploads the commissioning details, and the subsidy is credited to your bank account after verification. TGREDCO handles state-side subsidy claims.
The national helpline is 15555.
Common pitfalls
- Paying for “free government solar”. Under the Gruha Jyothi programme selection is by the DISCOM side. Check with your section office before paying anyone a booking amount.
- Buying when the bill is already zero. If Gruha Jyothi covers all your use, a self-financed plant has little to save.
- Oversizing for export. Surplus is settled at a low bidding-level tariff, and homes are capped at their sanctioned load.
- Ignoring the transformer. If your transformer’s 50% rooftop limit is used up, approval can stall; ask the DISCOM about spare capacity first.
- Missing the fee window. TGSPDCL’s fee waiver runs to 31 March 2027 for eligible applications.
Questions people ask
How much subsidy does a Telangana household get for rooftop solar?
The central PM Surya Ghar subsidy: ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and ₹18,000 for the third kW, so ₹30,000 for 1 kW, ₹60,000 for 2 kW and a maximum of ₹78,000 for 3 kW or more. We have not found a general state top-up for homes that buy their own system. The state’s own effort goes into a utility-led programme that installs plants on homes covered by the Gruha Jyothi free-power scheme.
What is the Gruha Jyothi rooftop solar plan?
On 15 November 2025 the state government approved rooftop solar for 20.33 lakh households, 4,066 MW in all, under a utility-led aggregation model run through TGREDCO and linked to Gruha Jyothi, which gives eligible homes free power up to 200 units a month. In TGSPDCL’s area alone 10,11,533 households (2,023 MW) have been identified. The first phase is much smaller: MNRE has given in-principle approval for 20,175 installations.
What rules govern net metering in Telangana now?
TGERC’s Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive Systems Regulation, 2025 (Regulation No. 1 of 2025), in force since it was published in the Telangana Gazette on 15 November 2025. It replaced the 2016 net metering regulation and its 2021 amendment, and added group net metering, gross metering and virtual net metering alongside ordinary net metering.
How big a system can a home install?
Under net metering, a residential consumer can install up to 100% of the sanctioned load, with a minimum of 1 kWp. The overall net metering ceiling is 500 kWp. Approvals are first come, first served per distribution transformer, and low-tension rooftop capacity on a transformer is limited to 50% of its rating, so a crowded transformer can hold up an application.
What happens to surplus solar power?
Exports are set off against imports. If you export more than you import in a month, the difference is settled at the lowest solar tariff the state DISCOMs discovered through competitive bidding in the previous financial year, which is far below the retail tariff a household pays. Net metered prosumers pay no banking, wheeling, cross-subsidy or additional surcharge. The arrangement runs for 25 years from grid connection.
Are there application fees?
The regulation sets an application fee of ₹2,500 for low-tension and ₹15,000 for high-tension consumers. TGSPDCL says fees are waived for eligible applications registered between 22 June 2026 and 31 March 2027 through the PM Surya Ghar portal. Systems up to 10 kW also skip the technical feasibility study.
How long should approval take?
The DISCOM has 15 working days from a complete application to issue technical feasibility, and systems up to 10 kWp need no feasibility study at all. The local Divisional Engineer (Operations) is the nodal officer. Home systems up to 56 kWp can be self-certified; larger ones need the Chief Electrical Inspector’s approval and insurance.
Sources
Capacity limits, the transformer cap, surplus settlement, charges, fees, timelines and metering are from TGERC Regulation No. 1 of 2025 (Telangana Gazette, 15 November 2025), TGSPDCL’s implementation guidelines and connection agreement form. Subsidy rates and sizing are from TGREDCO. The Gruha Jyothi programme, rural solarisation sanction, fee waiver and TGSPDCL progress are from the New Indian Express report of 11 October 2026, and state-wide installation figures from the annexure to Lok Sabha unstarred question 2806, answered on 5 August 2026.
- TGERC Regulation No. 1 of 2025 (Telangana Gazette, 15 November 2025)
- TGSPDCL guidelines for net, group net, gross and virtual net metering
- TGSPDCL connection agreement form
- TGREDCO: PM Surya Ghar subsidy structure
- New Indian Express: Telangana targets rooftop solar for 20.33 lakh households
- Power Peak Digest: TGERC replaces 2016 net metering rules
- Lok Sabha: state-wise PM Surya Ghar progress as on 31 July 2026
- National Portal for PM Surya Ghar
Related reporting is on the solar and policy pages. Other state guides: Uttar Pradesh (a ₹15,000-per-kW top-up, up to ₹30,000), Rajasthan (₹17,000 and 150 free units), Maharashtra (the SMART scheme), Gujarat (central subsidy only), Tamil Nadu (up to ₹22,000), Delhi (up to ₹78,000, with free plants for homes up to 400 units), Kerala (time-of-day net metering rules since January 2026), Karnataka (central subsidy only, with KERC’s 2026 rules opening net metering to all consumers) and Andhra Pradesh (free plants for SC/ST homes, surplus paid monthly at ₹2.09 a unit). If a number here disagrees with TGSPDCL, TGNPDCL, TGERC or the national portal, theirs wins. Corrections: [email protected].