Power firms urged to speed up rooftop solar
Andhra Pradesh has installed 411,915 rooftop solar systems as of August 4, ranking it among the top four states in India under the central government’s PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. Officials received instructions to accelerate installations and ensure financial assistance reaches eligible households without delay.
State targets 599,105 installations for SC, ST consumers
Special Chief Secretary (Energy) K. Vijayanand reviewed progress during a video conference on Thursday. He set a clear goal for Andhra Pradesh to lead in the scheme’s implementation and directed faster uploads of completed installations to the national portal.
Of the total systems installed, 278,438 have been uploaded. Another 133,477—physically installed under the SC/ST Utility-Led Aggregation model—remain pending upload. The state plans to install 599,105 systems with a combined capacity of 1,198.21 MW for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe consumers.
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Materials have been supplied for 301,524 systems, with 227,549 now complete. Among the state’s distribution companies, Southern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh leads with 47% progress, followed by Central Power Distribution Company at 35% and Eastern Power Distribution Company at 32%.
Vijayanand urged officials to resolve implementation issues quickly. He pointed out that easy access to low-cost loans was critical for the success of the programme. Better coordination between DISCOMs, district collectors, lead banks, and financial institutions was also needed to ensure eligible consumers could readily avail solar loans.
The initiative aims to promote the adoption of clean energy. The aggregation model, which pools demand to reduce costs, may offer a useful example for other states seeking to expand rooftop solar.
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Officials instructed to prioritize loan access
Vijayanand emphasized the need to remove bottlenecks in the loan process during the meeting. He called for proper coordination to help eligible consumers secure financing without delays.
DISCOMs received instructions to collaborate with banks to simplify loan approvals. While the state’s progress has been strong, maintaining momentum will depend on addressing these financial challenges.
CMDs of the three DISCOMs—L. Siva Sankar, I. Prudhvitej, and P. Pulla Reddy—attended alongside New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Managing Director M. Kamalakar Babu.
