West Bengal Issues Rooftop Solar Regulations for Prosumers

The regulations define capacity limits, tariffs, and the application process

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The West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC) has issued the West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (Grid Interactive Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic System for Prosumers) Regulations, 2025, which applies to all grid-interactive rooftop solar systems installed by prosumers connected to distribution licensees.

Prosumers retain the same rights as general electricity consumers and may install rooftop systems independently or through service providers under the renewable energy service company (RESCO) or the utility-led aggregation (ULA) models, on a first-come, first-served basis.

The total installed capacity of a rooftop solar system cannot exceed the consumer’s sanctioned load or contract demand. Prosumers can choose net metering, net billing, or gross metering arrangements and may also integrate battery storage with their systems.

Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted online through the distribution licensee’s portal, although hard copy submissions are also allowed. A non-refundable application fee of ₹1,000 (~$11.63) applies for low and medium voltage (LV & MV) consumers, while high and extra-high voltage (HV & EHV) consumers must pay ₹5,000 (~$58.14).

Systems up to 10 kW capacity are deemed technically feasible without a study. For capacities above 10 kW, the licensee must conduct a feasibility study within 15 days and communicate results, including any system upgrade costs, within 20 days.

Failure to communicate within the timeframe means the application is deemed accepted. If required, infrastructure upgrade costs for systems above 10 kW must be deposited by the prosumer within the quotation’s 90-day validity, extendable once for 30 days.

Prosumers have 180 days from clearance to install the system, extendable by 90 days. Non-completion within this period results in cancellation. After installations, a self-certified certificate must be submitted, following which the licensee has 15 days to finalize the agreement, install and test the meter, and commission the system.

Switching between net, gross, and net billing is allowed only once per financial year, effective from the next billing cycle, with unsettled units converted at the feed-in tariff.

Obligations of Distribution Licensees

Distribution licensees must publish a detailed procedure on their websites, provide a model application form and agreements, and develop an online portal within one month of the regulations coming into effect.

This portal must display detailed procedural information, single point of contact details, required documents, charges, empanelled service providers, financial incentives, formats of agreements and certificates, and updated reports on applications and installed capacity. Applications in hard copy must be uploaded within 24 hours with a web-based acknowledgement.

For systems over 10 kW, feasibility studies must be completed within 15 days, with results communicated within 20 days. Infrastructure upgrades for systems up to 10 kW are to be borne by the licensee; above this capacity, costs are borne by the prosumer.

Prosumers may procure their meters subject to testing by the licensee. Time-of-the-Day (TOD) tariff consumers must have TOD-compatible meters. Distribution licensees must ensure government financial incentives are passed to prosumers and are responsible for testing, installing, and maintaining meters, with defect rectification timelines.

Monitoring and Reporting

Distribution licensees must publish quarterly updates on new capacity, cumulative capacity, and pending applications, and submit quarterly reports to the state agency within 20 days of quarter-end, detailing monthly capacity additions and energy offset or procured. The agency will submit a consolidated report to the Commission.

Technical and Safety Standards

Prosumers are responsible for safe installation, operation, and maintenance up to the net meter, with mandatory anti-islanding protection. Battery-backed systems must prevent battery discharge into the grid during outages.

Inverters must comply with harmonic standards. Prosumers must submit a fitness certificate for islanding, harmonics, and power quality from National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories-accredited centers.

Metering Arrangements

For net metering and net billing, a single-phase or three-phase net meter and a separate generation meter are required. For gross metering, two separate meters measure consumption and generation. All meters must meet the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Installation and Operation of Meters Regulations, 2006, and include Advanced Metering Infrastructure capability.

The prosumer bears metering costs, although they may procure their meters if specifications match the licensee’s requirements.

Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO)

For obligated entities, energy consumed from the rooftop system under net or net billing counts towards their RPO, while surplus exported energy counts towards the licensee’s RPO.

For non-obligated entities, all generation under net or net billing counts towards the licensee’s RPO. Under gross metering, the entire generation recorded counts towards the licensee’s RPO.

Feed-in Tariff

The Commission will determine feed-in tariffs for net billing and gross metering based on the licensee’s average power purchase cost, transmission and distribution losses, and other relevant factors. The feed-in tariff will apply  for the system’s 25-year useful life.

Net Metering Provisions

Eligible prosumers must have at least 1 kW sanctioned load, with systems ranging from 1 kW up to 500 kW or the contract demand, whichever is lower. Exported energy in each billing cycle is deducted from imported energy; surplus is carried forward to the next cycle, and any remaining surplus at the end of the settlement year is reset to zero.

Annual installation limits are set for WBSEDCL, CESC, DVC, and IPCL for 2025-26 and 2026-27, with the Commission reviewing limits every six months. Consumers on TOD tariffs will offset consumption against generation within the same time block, with excess moved to lower tariff blocks. Prosumers must still pay fixed/demand charges, levies, and surcharges.

Net Billing Provisions

Net billing applies to prosumers with at least 1 kW sanctioned load, with systems up to their contract demand. Imported energy is valued at the retail tariff and exported energy at the feed-in tariff, with the difference billed to the prosumer.

Surplus credits are carried forward within the settlement period but reset to zero at year-end.

Gross Metering Provisions

Gross metering is available to prosumers with at least 1 kW sanctioned load, with system capacity up to the contract demand. Consumption and generation are metered separately, with consumption billed at the retail tariff and generation credited at the feed-in tariff.

Any credit balance at the end of the settlement period is paid to the prosumer by the distribution licensee.

Last October, WBERC issued the draft regulations for grid-interactive rooftop solar systems.

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