A Chennai household that puts a 3 kW solar system on its roof can now get up to ₹1 lakh back in subsidies: ₹78,000 from the Centre under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and up to ₹22,000 from the Tamil Nadu government’s new top-up. Both amounts are paid into your bank account only after the system is installed, net-metered and commissioned by TNPDCL, so you pay the vendor in full first.
Electricity Minister R. Nirmalkumar launched the state’s Rooftop Solar Subsidy Scheme at TNEB headquarters in Chennai in September, with a target of at least one lakh homes by the end of March 2027, DT Next reported. Here is how the money, the paperwork and the meter work.
How much subsidy you get
The central subsidy is ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and ₹18,000 for the third kW, which caps it at ₹78,000. A larger system does not earn more central money. The state amount sits on top. The figures below are from the Tamil Nadu Solar Rooftop Portal.
| System size | Central | State | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | ₹30,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹35,000 |
| 2 kW | ₹60,000 | ₹10,000 | ₹70,000 |
| 3 kW and above | ₹78,000 | ₹22,000 | ₹1,00,000 |
The state portal covers residential rooftop systems up to 10 kW, though the subsidy stops rising after 3 kW. One caution: when we checked, the portal’s calculator still described the state amounts as proposed and showed the Government Order as yet to be uploaded. The state government has sanctioned ₹50 crore for the top-up, according to the minister. Confirm the current position on the portal before you sign a vendor contract.
Sizing a system for a Chennai home
A rough rule given in the state’s budget-time explanation, as reported by Deccan Chronicle: homes using up to about 150 units a month suit a 1 to 2 kW system, homes using around 300 units suit 2 to 3 kW, and heavier users may need more than 3 kW. The state portal says a 3 kW system can produce up to 300 units a month. Look at a full year of your bills before deciding, because summer air-conditioning use in Chennai can be double the monsoon months.
Roof space matters too. Independent houses in Anna Nagar, Velachery or Tambaram usually have the terrace to themselves. In an apartment, the terrace is a common area, so an individual owner will need the association’s agreement before panels go up.
Applying step by step
- Register on the national PM Surya Ghar portal. Choose Tamil Nadu and TNPDCL as your distribution company, and enter your electricity service connection number.
- Wait for feasibility approval. TNPDCL checks whether your connection and local transformer can take the system.
- Pick an empanelled vendor. Use only a vendor on the official empanelled list. Panels must be domestic content requirement (DCR) compliant and on the ALMM list, or the subsidy will be refused.
- Installation and net meter. After the vendor finishes, TNPDCL fixes the net meter, inspects and commissions the plant.
- Central subsidy. This is credited after verification on the national side.
- State top-up. The state portal receives the central payout data automatically. TEDA then checks eligibility and bank details and pays the state share by direct benefit transfer, which the portal says takes about 7 to 15 days.
TNGECL is the state’s nodal agency and TEDA manages beneficiary data and payments. The state’s integrated portal at tnebltd.gov.in/usrp lets you see where an application is pending and for how long, and lodge a complaint if it stalls.
Net metering with TNPDCL
Net metering means a single bidirectional meter records what you draw from the grid and what your panels push back into it. On a sunny afternoon in Kodambakkam, when no one is home, the surplus flows out. At night you draw from the grid as usual. Your bill is worked out on the net figure under the rules set by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission; the portal links to TNERC Order 8 of 2021 on net metering, net feed-in and network charges. Read that order, or ask TNPDCL, before assuming a zero bill.
The net meter is installed by TNPDCL, not by your vendor. Delays at this stage are common, and the subsidy is not released until commissioning is done, so keep your application number handy and follow up.
Apartments and resident associations
Group housing societies and resident welfare associations can claim central support of ₹18,000 per kW for systems serving common facilities such as lifts, pumps, corridor lights and EV charging, up to 500 kW at 3 kW per house, according to the central subsidy terms published by the Delhi government’s solar portal. That 500 kW ceiling includes any individual systems residents put up. For a Chennai apartment block whose common-area bill is a large share of monthly maintenance, this is often the better route than individual flats each fitting panels.
Who to call
- TNPDCL Minnagam (feasibility, net meter, inspection): 1912, round the clock; WhatsApp 94987 94987
- PM Surya Ghar national helpline: 15555 or 1800-180-3333
- State solar rooftop portal toll-free line: 1800 425 2500
Quick answers
Do I have to pay the full cost upfront?
Yes. You pay the vendor, and both subsidies are credited to your bank account after commissioning and verification.
Will a 5 kW system get more subsidy?
No. The combined maximum is ₹1 lakh, reached at 3 kW.
Can I use any solar installer in Chennai?
Only empanelled vendors using DCR-compliant, ALMM-listed modules qualify for the subsidy.
Who installs the net meter?
TNPDCL, after the vendor completes installation. Call 1912 if it is delayed.
This is general information, not financial advice; get written quotes and check the official portals before paying.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Tamil Nadu Solar Rooftop Portal (TNEB / TNPDCL)
- Central subsidy under PM Surya Ghar (Delhi Solar Portal, Government of NCT of Delhi)
- Tamil Nadu targets 1 lakh rooftop solar installations by March: Minister Nirmalkumar (DT Next)
- TN’s subsidy scheme to bring down rooftop solar panels cost for domestic consumers (Deccan Chronicle)
