Frustrated with the frequent and long power cuts? Why don’t you set up a rooftop power plant, asks the Andhra Pradesh Government. People can sell surplus, if any, to the grid and make money at Rs 3.50 a unit.
The State Government, which is grappling with a severe power shortage this year, will come out with a Government order, providing 50 per cent subsidy to people to set up one kW solar plants. This subsidy includes 30 per cent support from the Centre.
“It costs about Rs 80,000 to set up a one-kilowatt unit. An average household can save about 10-30 per cent of power they generate. Under this initiative, we will set up a metre to monitor net usage by plant owners and the quantum of power they contribute to the grid,” M. Kamalakar Babu, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of NEDCAP, told Business Line. “If you can contribute 100 units a month, you will get Rs 350 at Rs 3.50 a unit. Instead of bothering about power cuts, you can address the problem,” he said.
New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd (NEDCAP) promotes alternative energy sources. “We know that there is a need to support projects beyond one kilowatt. We have submitted a report to the Centre, asking it to extend the 30 per cent subsidy to projects up to 3 kW in order to encourage power generation from alternative sources,” he said.
Earlier addressing a gathering after the launch of eFresh portal’s information window on solar energy on Saturday, he said the solar power generation momentum had picked up in the State.
“We have a standalone solar power generation unit at the Governor’s office here. At least 10 Collectorates in the State and municipal corporation offices of Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam are going to embrace solar power,” he said.
He also cited the bids called for by AP Transmission Corporation to tap projects worth 1,000 MW. “The State Solar Policy too supports solar power projects,” he said.