Visakhapatnam: The government's prestigious environmental friendly project - Solar Rooftop Net Metering (SRNM) - is behind its target set by the Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (APEPDCL) covering five coastal districts.
APEPDCL set a target of generating 3.5 megawatt (3.5MW or 3500 kilowatts) of power through the SRNM by the end of this fiscal (March 31). But so far it has generated only 939 kilowatts (less than 1MW). The project has enough number of applicants which is more than the targeted demand of the solar power, but still could not yield the results due to various reasons.
According to APEPDCL officials, as many as 320 people from the five districts approached the discom to provide solar power in their homes, offices or business establishments under the SRNM project with a total demand of 7102 kilowatts (7.1 me).
After screening the applications and conducting a technical feasibility study, the discom declared only 296 were eligible for a total capacity of 6657 kilowatts. But, out of the total 296 eligible applications, only 69 got solar power with a total capacity of 939 kilowatts as on date. The remaining 227 applicants with a capacity of 5718 kilowatts are incomplete at various stages.
APEPDCL officials cited various reasons for the hold-up such as lack of financial support from bankers and lack of financial capacity for the solar equipment and withdrawal of applications.
"APEPDCL's role is just to show the path and synchronisation of the installed solar equipment with the discom's grid under the project. If the applicants have enough money, they can get the solar equipment within a few days. Many applicants could not get the equipment due to lack of loan from banks. Some applicants showed interest initially but later did not continue and finally withdrew," said a senior APEPDCL official on a condition of anonymity.
"Nearly Rs 1 lakh is required to set up a 1kilowatt capacity solar equipment. Similarly, Rs 57.18 crore is required to set up the 5718 kilowatts of equipment. The 227 applicants do not seem to be in a position to pool in the amount. Bankers are the final option, but they have not supported the cause," the officer said.
Speaking to TOI, APEPDCL chairman and managing director R Mutyala Raju admitted that the SRNM was lagging behind. "We were able to get a response from industries for the project and they are able to set up the equipment due to financial strength. We are waiting for the same enthusiasm from the domestic consumers."
An applicant from Vizag said, "Our Vizag MP K Haribabu held a meeting with the stakeholders including the bankers over the project in May 2015 and promised to help, but nothing emerged out of it."
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss yearly career horoscopes 2025 for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.