The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) has approved the waiver of application fees and meter testing charges for domestic consumers installing rooftop solar systems. The move is expected to encourage greater adoption of rooftop solar across the state under the central government’s PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana by lowering upfront costs and streamlining the installation process.
The order, issued on July 9, 2026, follows a joint petition filed on June 22, 2026, by North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (NBPDCL) and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (SBPDCL). The matter was heard by the BERC bench comprising Chairman Amir Subhani and Legal Member P.S. Yadav under Case No. 29/2026. After examining the petition, the Commission approved the proposal, allowing both distribution companies to waive certain technical and administrative charges for eligible domestic consumers.
This decision is expected to reduce the initial investment needed for rooftop solar installations by eliminating application processing charges, load modification charges, meter testing charges, and equipment replacement charges (as per the FY 2026–27 Tariff Order) levied on applicants of rooftop solar systems. These charges were an additional cost that often deterred households from joining the net-metering programme.
To address this issue, NBPDCL and SBPDCL approached BERC for relaxation of Regulation 8.1 of the BERC Net and Gross Metering Regulations, 2018, which stipulated that distribution companies can levy miscellaneous processing charges on consumers. The Commission, after allowing the petition, has now exempted these charges for domestic consumers under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
In its order, BERC also took into account the communication issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on January 8, 2026, which said that the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana had benefited more than 10 lakh households during its first year of implementation but also noted that to achieve the national target of one crore rooftop solar installations, states need to simplify approval procedures and reduce financial barriers for consumers.
The MNRE also urged the states to waive the technical and processing fees for rooftop solar applicants and mentioned that Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat have already implemented similar exemptions. BERC said Bihar’s decision is in line with such efforts to speed up the adoption of rooftop solar systems.
The Commission also stated that the fee waiver would not adversely impact the financial position of the state’s distribution companies. The central government has earmarked ₹4,950 crore as incentives for distribution companies to offset operational revenue losses resulting from such exemptions. Of this amount, approximately ₹2,100 crore has already been released to distribution companies across the country.
BERC clarified that the fee waiver applies only to domestic rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. This order does not cover commercial consumers and projects implemented under other categories, including the ULA-RESCO mode.
The move is expected to bring down administrative costs and make rooftop solar affordable and accessible for households in Bihar. It is expected to boost wider consumer participation in clean energy generation and help the state meet its renewable energy targets as well as India’s broader transition to clean electricity.
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