Bhubaneswar: Tata Power-led electricity distribution companies in Odisha have witnessed a sharp acceleration in rooftop solar adoption under the Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model, with total rooftop solar connections crossing 2 100 across the state.
Early consumer outcomes indicate that 70% of participating households recorded 90% reduction in bills with ~300 consumers getting zero electricity bills within the first month of implementation, underscoring the immediate financial impact of the initiative.
Launched exclusively in Odisha under the guidance of the Government of Odisha, the ULA model represents a structural shift in the delivery of residential rooftop solar. Now, the payable entry cost has been further brought down from Rs 5,000 earlier to Rs 1,875, significantly lowering adoption barriers by reducing the consumer’s upfront contribution by 62.5%. This reduction in upfront cost will be central to enabling widespread participation across urban, semi-urban and rural areas of the state.
A key enabler of the ULA model’s success has been the integration of rooftop solar systems with smart meters, which allows consumers to seamlessly export surplus power back to the grid. This integration ensures accurate energy accounting, faster settlement and improved consumer confidence, while also strengthening grid efficiency and supporting decentralised power generation.
Gajanan Kale, Chief- Odisha Distribution, Tata Power & CEO, TPNODL said, “The Utility-Led Aggregation model reflects a strong partnership between Tata Power led Odisha discoms and the Government of Odisha to make rooftop solar affordable, reliable and accessible. Early zero-bill outcomes clearly show how rooftop solar can deliver direct fin ancial benefits w hile supporting Odisha’s tran sition to su stainable energy.”
Among the four utilities, TP Northern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPNODL) has emerged as the leading DISC OM in rooftop solar adoption, while TP Western Odisha Distribution Limited, TP Central Odisha Distribution Limited and TP Southern Odisha Distribution Limited have also reported steady growth.
