More firms being empanelled to meet public requirement
Around 5 MW capacity installed in shortest time-frame
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 4: There is an unprecedented response to the Rooftop Solar Scheme for Jammu city within few months after its approval by the Administrative Council with people in large number including politicians and retired bureaucrats approaching the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) for availing its benefit.
Moreover, around 5 Mega Watt (MW) capacity has already been installed on the residential buildings in different parts of Jammu city and keeping in view the interest of the people the target of installation of 200 Mega Watt grid-tied Rooftop Solar Plants under “Jammu Solar City” by ending 2024 will be easily achieved.
The approval to the installation of 200 MW of grid-tied Rooftop Solar Power Plants under the Solar City Mission in Jammu was accorded by the Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in the month of June 2022.
The decision was taken to implement the Government of India’s grid-connected Rooftop Solar Scheme, Phase-II for the residential sector to ensure that the electricity needs of the city are fully met from solar energy. Under the project, solar power plants of different capacities are being installed on 50,000 residential buildings in Jammu city at an estimated cost of Rs 1040 crore.
Soon after the approval of the Administrative Council, the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency started exercise to empanel the firms for Design, Supply, Erection, Testing and Commissioning including Warranty, Comprehensive Operation & Maintenance of Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Power Plant of various capacities.
“Within few months, there is unprecedented response to Rooftop Solar Scheme for Jammu city with large number of people approaching the JAKEDA for availing the benefits of the scheme”, sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “the intensity of the people’s interest can be gauged from the fact that even around 5 Mega Watt capacity has already been installed within few months, which in case of hydropower generation takes years together with lots of investment and other formalities”.
“What to talk of common masses even large number of politicians and retired bureaucrats have either already installed the grid-connected Rooftop Solar Plants or in the process of getting the same installed”, they further said, adding “there are twin benefits of the scheme. First, 65% subsidy (40% from the Government of India and 25% from the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir) is being given and second, people’s energy bill is getting reduced substantially”.
Moreover, the people are not supposed to face any sort of hassle in getting the solar plants installed as the empanelled firms have the responsibilities of providing the Net-meter and facilitating its installation through JPDCL as per the guidelines of Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission.
In case of installation of smart meter by the JPDCL, the firm has to facilitate the consumer in enabling activation of bi-directional feature of the smart meter and supply of complete system as per technical specifications given by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Moreover, it is the responsibility of the empanelled firm to submit the data in designated portal software of MNRE/JAKEDA as well as submit the hard copies of proposal for obtaining the subsidy in prescribed format to JAKEDA.
“At present more than 20 firms have been empanelled for installation of solar plants but keeping in view the unprecedented response from the people the JAKEDA has kept the portal open for empanelment of more firms”, sources said, adding “the firms will provide necessary drawings to JAKEDA to ensure that while installing solar power plants on rooftops there should not be any damage what so ever to the roof of the buildings”.
In response to a question, they said that subsidy of 65% for installation of grid-tied solar power plant is not confined to Jammu city only as Government has already given approval for covering all the towns of the Union Territory under this scheme as such anybody can avail the benefit.
“Given the response of the people, the target of installation of 200 Mega Watt Rooftop Solar Power Plants by ending of 2024 can be easily achieved and with this 280 million units of energy will be generated and carbon emission will be reduced by 5.44 million tons”, they said, adding “even majority of the Government buildings in the Jammu city have been provided with Rooftop Solar Power Plants and remaining will be covered shortly”.
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