PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGY) is the Government of India’s flagship residential solar scheme — and with subsidies of up to ₹1,38,000 for a 3 kW system, it is the most affordable time in history to go solar in Odisha. But the process involves multiple portals, government approvals, and inspections that can confuse homeowners. This guide walks through every step in sequence.
Before You Start: Eligibility Check
You are eligible if:
- You own a residential property with a sanctioned electricity connection
- Your electricity account is in your name or your family’s name
- You have not previously availed of any central government solar subsidy
- The property has adequate shadow-free roof space (typically 10–12 sq m per kW)
Only on-grid systems qualify. Off-grid and hybrid systems do not receive PM Surya Ghar subsidies.
Step 1 — Online Registration on the National Portal
Go to pmsuryaghar.gov.in and click Apply for Rooftop Solar.
Information required:
- State (select Odisha)
- Electricity Distribution Company (TPCODL, TPNODL, TPWODL, or TPSODL depending on your district)
- Your electricity consumer number (from your bill)
- Mobile number linked to Aadhaar
The portal will verify your consumer number with DISCOM records. Once verified, you receive an application number — save this, you will need it at every stage.
Odisha Tip: Khordha district consumers fall under TPCODL (TP Central Odisha Distribution Ltd). Check the DISCOM boundary map on the portal if you are unsure.
Step 2 — DISCOM Feasibility Check
After registration, your application is forwarded to the DISCOM for technical feasibility review. The DISCOM checks:
- Whether the local distribution transformer (DT) has sufficient capacity to absorb solar export
- Whether your service connection size permits the applied-for system capacity
- Three-phase vs single-phase connection requirements
Timeline: 7–30 days. In congested urban feeders, this step can take longer if transformer upgrades are needed.
What you can do: Do not begin procurement or installation before receiving written feasibility approval (Letter of Intent or LOI) from the DISCOM. Installing without LOI means no subsidy.
Step 3 — Select an Empanelled Vendor
Only vendors empanelled on the national portal and registered with OREDA (Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency) can install systems that qualify for PM Surya Ghar subsidy.
When evaluating vendors, ask for:
- OREDA empanelment certificate
- BIS-certified panels and MNRE-approved inverters
- Detailed system design with layout drawing
- Written warranty terms (panel: 25 years performance, inverter: 5 years minimum)
- Installation timeline commitment
M-Lite Solar is OREDA-empanelled and listed on the PM Surya Ghar national portal. Get a free site survey.
Step 4 — Site Survey and System Design
A qualified solar engineer will visit your property to:
- Measure available roof area and assess structural load capacity
- Conduct shading analysis (morning to evening)
- Determine panel orientation, tilt angle, and mounting type
- Select inverter type (string, microinverter, or hybrid)
- Finalise system capacity in kW
- Prepare a generation estimate (annual kWh)
The system design is submitted to the DISCOM along with your application for net metering.
Step 5 — Net Metering Application and Technical Sanction
Your vendor submits a net metering application on your behalf. The DISCOM reviews the design and issues a Technical Sanction — permission to proceed with installation.
Documents typically required:
- Signed application form
- Ownership proof of property
- Copy of electricity bill
- Single-line diagram and panel layout drawing
- Vendor’s OREDA certificate
Timeline: 15–45 days after feasibility approval.
Step 6 — Installation
Once Technical Sanction is received, installation can begin. A standard 3 kW rooftop installation takes 1–2 days for the mechanical and electrical work, plus a half-day for commissioning and testing.
Key milestones during installation:
- Mounting structure installation and concrete anchoring
- Panel mounting, DC wiring, and string terminations
- Inverter installation and earthing
- AC wiring to main DB and net meter point
- String-level testing (open circuit voltage, short circuit current, insulation resistance)
- Inverter commissioning and grid synchronisation
- System handover with monitoring app setup
A commissioning report documenting all test results is handed over to you at the end.
Step 7 — DISCOM Inspection and Net Meter Installation
After installation is complete, your vendor notifies the DISCOM. A DISCOM engineer visits the site to:
- Verify the installed system matches the sanctioned design
- Inspect earthing and safety compliance
- Replace or reprogram your existing energy meter with a bi-directional net meter
Timeline: 15–30 days after installation completion notification.
During this waiting period, your system is generating power. However, excess units exported to the grid are not formally being credited yet (depending on your DISCOM’s policy during the interim period).
Step 8 — Subsidy Application Through the Portal
After the DISCOM inspection and net meter installation, your vendor submits the subsidy claim through the national portal with:
- Commissioning certificate
- Installation photographs (mandatory: panels, inverter, earthing, meter)
- Test report
- Bank account details (must match the electricity consumer’s name)
The subsidy is credited directly to your bank account — ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW, and ₹18,000 for the third kW, capped at 3 kW. The Odisha State subsidy of up to ₹20,000 is processed separately through OREDA.
Timeline: 30–60 days after claim submission.
Step 9 — Start Generating and Saving
Once the net meter is installed, the system is fully operational. Your DISCOM bill will now show:
- Units consumed from the grid
- Units exported to the grid (credited at the applicable buy-back rate)
- Net units billed at your tariff slab
In Odisha, the current net metering buy-back rate for surplus export is approximately ₹3.00–₹3.50/unit, while the retail consumption rate is ₹4.00–₹6.50/unit — meaning self-consumption always pays better than export. Design your system to match your consumption, not to maximise export.
Summary Timeline
| Step | Typical Duration |
|---|---|
| Registration and DISCOM feasibility | 7–30 days |
| Vendor selection and design | 7–14 days |
| Technical Sanction | 15–45 days |
| Installation | 1–2 days |
| DISCOM inspection and net meter | 15–30 days |
| Subsidy disbursement | 30–60 days |
| Total end-to-end | 75–180 days |
The wide range reflects DISCOM workload and applicant volume. States and districts with high PMSGY uptake can see longer queues at the technical sanction and inspection stages.
Have questions about your specific location or consumer number? Our team handles the entire DISCOM correspondence and portal process on your behalf. Get in touch.