Agartala: A total of 740 consumers of Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) earned income this quarter by supplying surplus solar power to the grid under the Centre’s PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, officials said on Wednesday.
TSECL Managing Director Biswajit Basu said the households had installed rooftop solar panels under the scheme and generated electricity beyond their own needs over the past three months. As a result, none of them paid electricity charges during the quarter.
Instead, TSECL credited Rs 2,64,331.94 to their bank accounts as payment for the surplus power exported to the grid, under the net metering system. The system allows consumers to adjust excess generation against consumption and receive compensation as per approved rates.
Basu said the scheme enables households to move beyond being just consumers to becoming small-scale power producers. Consumers generating surplus power can supply it to the grid and earn income.
Officials noted that solar panels can be installed on rooftops, tin sheds, and ground-mounted structures, allowing households without concrete roofs to participate. This has expanded adoption across urban and semi-urban areas of Tripura.
Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath highlighted the role of renewable energy in reducing dependence on conventional sources such as coal and gas. The scheme encourages household-level solar generation while lowering electricity costs.
The Tripura government aims to bring 50,000 families under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana by 2027. Launched in 2023–24, the programme will run through 2026–27, with a total national expenditure of Rs 75,021 crore. Residential consumers are eligible for subsidies up to Rs 85,800 for systems up to 3 kilowatts.