UT makes solar power plant installation easy

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 24

The UT Administration has removed a major hurdle in the installation of solar power plants at houses and other buildings by deciding to transfer the subsidy amount directly into the account of the solar power company installing these plants.

Now, residents will not be required to run from pillar to post to get the subsidy amount after installing the power plants. Earlier, they were required to pay the total cost of the power plant to the company and after the installation of the plant, the Chandigarh Renewal Energy, Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) used to release the subsidy amount to the owners.

There were cases when the owners had to wait for months to get the subsidy owing to various reasons. The delay in releasing the subsidy caused harassment to residents. CREST releases a subsidy of 40 per cent for power plants up to a capacity of 3 kW. According to the Director, CREST, Debendra Dalai, the decision would help residents install power plants without any hassle. He said the department was now focusing on urging owners of small houses to install solar power plants as it would reduce their energy charges.

The department is also considering allowing the company to install solar power plants under the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model. Under the model, residents and the company will share the benefit and after a certain period, the plants will be handed over to the residents. The UT Administration, in a notification issued in May 2016, had made the installation of rooftop solar power plants mandatory for properties measuring 500 sq yard and above and group housing societies. The deadline fixed by the Estate Office for installing the plants is ending on September 30, 2019.

The Centre had selected Chandigarh to be developed as a model solar city and had set a target of installation of 69 MW solar plants, both in residential and government buildings, by 2022. CREST is already generating 30 MW and is working hard to meet the target.