Only Rs 3.26 given instead of Rs 4.36; Solar power not adequately priced 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The price fixed for solar power generated at home and supplied to KSEB from April 1 last year to March 31, 2025, is alleged to be inadequate. A unit of electricity was priced at Rs 3.15 last year, but this time it has been increased by 11 paise to Rs 3.26. The producers say that the actual price they had to be paid was Rs 4.36. The rate was fixed by the Kerala Electricity Regulatory Commission.

According to the Electricity Act, the rate of solar electricity should be determined on the basis of the average pooled power purchase cost. Accordingly, the average pooled power purchase price is determined by taking into account the price of electricity purchased by KSEB in the previous financial year and the price of electricity generated by KSEB and comparing it with the average. The Regulatory Commission itself has clarified that the average power purchase price of the previous financial year was Rs 4.36 per unit. This rate should be paid for electricity purchased from rooftop solar as well. The reasons should be clarified if the rate is to be reduced.

This time, the price of solar power was fixed at Rs 3.26 per unit, by adding the consumer price index of 3.41% to the last year's rate of Rs 3.15. This is irregular.

According to the Electricity Tariff Regulation, the price is fixed by adding the inflation index only for the salaries of employees and O&M expenses. It is not applicable to determining the average purchase rate of solar power. The solar producers have decided to move legally against the act of fixing the solar rate by adding the price index. They say that this is the first time that the price of solar power is being fixed according to the Consumer Inflation Index and that the Regulatory Commission has not fixed the tariff for solar power in any state in the country like this. They say that the Regulatory Commission's action is a setback for solar producers.