Delhi discoms draw elaborate plans to promote solar power

Realising the potential of solar energy, the three private power distribution companies in the city have drawn up elaborate plans to encourage domestic consumers to set up rooftop solar panels and earn money by selling the electricity to them.

Reliance Infra-backed two BSES discoms, which already energised six rooftop solar 'net metering' projects, have decided to aggressively promote solar power across its area of operation and appointed team of experts to work on the initiative.

A study by the Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (TPDDL) has found that it could support generation of more than 400 MW of rooftop solar power through the company's commercial and industrial consumers in North and North West Delhi.

To promote solar energy in Delhi, TPDDL has already invited techno-commercial proposals from reputed organisations for implementation of solar projects of tentative value of Rs 120 crore in the current financial year.

The initiatives by the three discoms came almost six months after Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) had directed them to put in place infrastructure to allow domestic consumers to supply solar energy to transmission grid from their rooftop solar panels and earn money.

The DERC had told the discoms to upgrade their transmission networks so that people can sell excess power to them without any difficulty.

"We are focusing on encouraging people to go for generating solar power. We will promote it aggressively," a top BSES official said.

The national capital has been facing severe power shortage during peak summer months and the power regulator is of the view that solar energy can bridge the gap between the demand and supply of electricity in the city. The power demand in the city has seen an annual increase of 8-10 per cent in the last few years.

"With this initiative, customers will have a chance to choose from traditional as well as conventional source of power. As a responsible power utility, we are working towards generating clean energy using solar power," said TPDDL CEO Praveer Sinha.

Power department officials said under the solar power initiative, consumers will be able to sell solar power to the discom of the area from their homes, at the market rate or opt for adjusting their bills if they continue to draw electricity from the discom.