Electricity regulatory commission says no change in solar billing, consumers express concern

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission in the evidence collection at the Institute of Engineering hall in Vellayambalam on Wednesday has announced that there will be no immediate change in the solar net meter system.

The current billing system will continue until April next year. The commission also assured that if the billing system is changed, it will be only after detailed discussions and deliberations.

Consumers have expressed concern over the increase in electricity bills despite the installation of rooftop solar panels. It was also pointed out in the meeting thatthe concern that gross meter system will come, which will cause a huge backlash to consumers, is driving people away from solar project.

The annual settlement of rooftop solar power producers and consumers has been shifted from September to March.

With this, the possibility of the producers to use the solar energy unit that is surplus every month in summer has been eliminated. Due to the settlement of accounts in March, the consumption was high during that period leading to increase in bill amounts.

They demanded that the settlement month be shifted to September. The introduction of fixed tariff for solar energy directly used by the producer was also raised in the meeting. The unscientific nature of time of day billing, banking and wheeling systems and the negative attitude of KSEB came up as a complaint in the meeting. The WhatsApp group of solar consumers also expressed their complaint in the meeting. KSEB representatives also attended the meeting.