Tamil Nadu has begun implementing a subsidy programme to encourage households to install rooftop solar power systems. The state has set a target of installing rooftop solar plants in one lakh homes by March 2027.
The initiative aligns with the Centre’s “PM Surya Ghar” scheme aimed at reducing electricity bills. Under the central scheme, subsidies are offered at Rs 30,000 for 1 kW, Rs 60,000 for 2 kW, and Rs 78,000 for capacities above that.
In addition, the Tamil Nadu government will provide a special top-up subsidy of Rs 5,000 for 1 kW, Rs 10,000 for 2 kW, and Rs 22,000 for 3 kW. This takes the total subsidy to Rs 35,000 for 1 kW, Rs 70,000 for 2 kW, and up to Rs 1 lakh for higher capacities. Applicants who have applied since August are eligible; a 1 kW system can generate up to five units a day, and the generated power will be fed into the public distribution network.
The programme was launched at the TANGEDCO headquarters in Chennai by Minister Nirmal Kumar, in the presence of Energy Department Secretary Anil Meshram and TANGEDCO Chairman Arun Roy. The minister said Tamil Nadu is focusing on expanding clean energy while protecting the environment, and noted that Rs 50 crore has been allocated this year for the scheme.
To make access easier, a dedicated website—https://tnebltd.gov.in/usrp/—has been launched with details on the scheme, central and state subsidies, installation steps, application process, status tracking and approved vendors. Officials said software has been developed so that once the central subsidy is credited, the state portal will automatically release the additional subsidy without requiring a second application. Under the PM scheme in Tamil Nadu so far, 1.13 lakh applications have been registered and 97,732 rooftop solar systems have been commissioned, producing 337.49 MW; the state’s total rooftop solar installed capacity stands at 1,859.27 MW.
