Solar power to NDMC households

For the first time in the city, households are allowed to link their solar power units with the electricity distribution network.

Households in the New Delhi Municipal Council areas which are keen on solar energy can now apply to install solar panels on their rooftops and transfer the electricty produced to the power grid.

The NDMC will “purchase” the electricity and adjust against the monthly bill.  So far only five households have applied. The NDMC will make available “net meters” to calculate the power “sold” to it within a month.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) earlier had reservations about the project. But it has recently given the NDMC the go-ahead to launch it. This is part of the council’s smart city project.

The applications of the first batch of consumers – both commercial and domestic – are being verified by the council. Generation of power from solar panels can be zero depending on weather conditions, such as cloudy or rainy day and at night. But if there is surplus, the consumer can export the amount to the NDMC grid.

These meters have to be installed by the consumers themselves. “The net metering system will have two dialers. While one dialer 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,” said a senior NDMC official.

The NDMC was earlier in a fix on how to charge customers, especially now that subsidies announced by the government also will have to be applied.  “The DERC directed us to charge consumers for the balance amount of power between what is generated and exported. The normal tariff will be applied on the billing system. Depending on usage, subsidies will be applicable,” said the official.

However, with different rates of buying and selling electricity, the NDMC may not gain financially from the project.  Once consumers approach the council for setting up rooftop panels and enter into an agreement, a feasibility check will be conducted. It will be checked if the domestic or commercial connection can be connected with the NDMC distribution network. If found compatible, the registered consumer can install the net meters and benefit from the project.