The Centre’s flagship rooftop solar programme is beginning to deliver on its promise of sharply reducing household electricity costs, with Kerala and Rajasthan emerging as the leading States where a large share of consumers are now receiving zero electricity bills.
Government data under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG: MBY) show that more than half of Kerala’s rooftop solar applications and over 42 per cent in Rajasthan paid no energy consumption charges during a recent monthly billing cycle, highlighting how distributed solar generation is increasingly offsetting household power usage.
The trend underscores the growing impact of rooftop solar adoption on household finances. Across India, nearly one in four beneficiaries under the scheme paid zero electricity consumption charges in a month, thanks to power generated from rooftop panels being adjusted against grid consumption through net metering. Kerala topped the rankings with over 50 per cent of its 3.64 lakh applicants recording zero energy charges, followed by Rajasthan, where more than 42 per cent of nearly 3.96 lakh applicants achieved the same outcome.
Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Maharashtra rounded out the top five states by share of zero-bill consumers.
Highest number
Among the top 10 states with the highest number of applications under the PMSG: MBY, Andhra Pradesh had the lowest percentage of applicants who paid zero monthly electricity consumption charges. The total application from the state stood at around 10.22 lakh.
In absolute numbers, however, Gujarat leads the country with around 4.18 lakh consumers receiving zero energy bills, followed closely by Maharashtra at 4.10 lakh. Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Assam follow. The figures suggest that states with high rooftop solar penetration are beginning to see tangible consumer benefits, reducing dependence on grid power and lowering household electricity expenditure even as power tariffs continue to rise in many regions.
The zero-bill phenomenon is driven by net metering, under which electricity generated by rooftop solar systems is adjusted against household consumption. Surplus power exported to the grid is carried forward to subsequent billing cycles and, if left unutilised at the end of the financial year, can be compensated by distribution companies at rates approved by state regulators.
Consumers continue to pay fixed network charges, but the sharp reduction in energy charges indicates that rooftop solar is increasingly enabling households to meet most, and in some cases all, of their electricity requirements through self-generation.