Checked 22 Oct 2026
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Tamil Nadu rooftop solar subsidy 2026: what you get and what it saves
If you register for rooftop solar from 5 August 2026, you can get up to ₹1,00,000: ₹78,000 from the centre under PM Surya Ghar and ₹22,000 from Tamil Nadu, if the system is 3 kW or bigger. A 1 kW system gets ₹35,000 and 2 kW gets ₹70,000. The state top-up is paid after the central one.
Filled in with the middle of the state portal's indicative price. Change it to your quote.
Bill now₹1,570
Bill with solar₹194
Pays back in8.8 yrs
A 2 kW system makes about 480 units a bill, so you are billed for 20 units instead of 500. You save about ₹8,259 a year after the network charge. Subsidy ₹70,000; you pay ₹72,500.
Leaves out the ₹500 registration fee, the meter, any loan interest, panel ageing, cloudy months and future tariff changes. Savings are not discounted.
In short
- A Tamil Nadu home registered for rooftop solar from 5 August 2026 gets ₹35,000 for 1 kW, ₹70,000 for 2 kW and ₹1,00,000 for 3 kW or more, central and state subsidy together.
- Solar pays back fastest for homes above 500 units a bill: in our examples, a 700-unit home with 3 kW pays back in about 5 years, a 450-unit home with 2 kW in about 11.
- Solar homes pay a network charge of about ₹0.32 a unit on assumed output, and under net metering surplus units lapse every 31 March unpaid.
- Use a registered vendor and Indian-made (DCR) panels, or the subsidy is refused.
How much subsidy you get
| System | Central | State | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | ₹30,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹35,000 |
| 2 kW | ₹60,000 | ₹10,000 | ₹70,000 |
| 3 kW and above | ₹78,000 | ₹22,000 | ₹1,00,000 |
The centre pays ₹30,000 per kilowatt up to 2 kW and ₹18,000 for the third kilowatt, worked out on the panels' rated capacity; part kilowatts are pro rata, so 2.5 kW gets ₹69,000 from the centre. The state order sets ₹10,000 up to 2 kW and ₹22,000 from 3 kW, and does not say what a 2.5 kW system gets. Nothing more is added above 3 kW, from either government.
Central: MNRE operational guidelines, PM Surya Ghar (copy hosted by JBVNL), clauses 5(h) and 5(k). State: G.O.(Ms) No. 102, Energy Department, 19 Sep 2026, page 2.
Who gets the Tamil Nadu top-up
- Domestic TNPDCL connections whose PM Surya Ghar registration is dated 5 August 2026 or later, up to 1 lakh homes in all.
- Paid only after the system is installed, commissioned and verified, and after the central subsidy reaches you. The state portal has a form to update your state-subsidy details for registrations after 5 August 2026; fill it in if TNPDCL or your vendor asks.
- Indian-made (DCR) panels on the approved (ALMM) list, a vendor registered on the national portal and empanelled with TEDA, and no pending dues on your connection.
G.O.(Ms) No. 102, Energy Department, 19 Sep 2026, paragraph 6; Tamil Nadu Solar Rooftop Portal (TNPDCL); MNRE operational guidelines, PM Surya Ghar (copy hosted by JBVNL), clauses 5(m) and 6(c); pending dues: TNPDCL summary of TNERC Order 8 of 2021 (rooftop solar), VIII.7.
What solar saves on your TNEB bill
With net metering, the units your panels send to the grid are subtracted from the units you take, within each two-month bill, and you are billed for the difference at the normal slabs. We assume 4 units a kW a day, the low end of the state portal's 4 to 5.
| Home | Bill now | With solar | Saved a year | Pays back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 450 units, 2 kW | ₹1,255 | ₹194 | ₹6,369 | 11.4 years |
| 600 units, 2 kW | ₹2,880 | ₹194 | ₹16,119 | 4.5 years |
| 700 units, 3 kW | ₹3,825 | ₹290 | ₹21,208 | 4.7 years |
"With solar" includes the network charge. One thing is not settled in any order we could find: whether the 500-unit test for the 200 free units is applied to your net units or your total use. Our numbers assume net units, as the billing works today; ask TNPDCL to confirm for your connection.
TNPDCL summary of TNERC Order 8 of 2021 (rooftop solar); bills worked from TNERC Order No. 4 of 2026, 27 Apr 2026 and TNERC Order No. 5 of 2026, 26 May 2026.
What a system costs
| System | Government benchmark | State portal market price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | ₹50,000 | ₹70,000 to ₹85,000 |
| 2 kW | ₹1,00,000 | ₹1,30,000 to ₹1,55,000 |
| 3 kW | ₹1,45,000 | ₹1,80,000 to ₹2,20,000 |
The benchmark is what MNRE uses to set the scheme; what you pay is agreed between you and the vendor. Installer pages in Tamil Nadu quote 3 kW at roughly ₹1,65,000 (Heaven Green Energy) to ₹2,35,000 (SolarSquare) in 2026. The price usually includes five years of maintenance, which the scheme requires.
MNRE operational guidelines, PM Surya Ghar (copy hosted by JBVNL), clause 5(g) and 7(d); Tamil Nadu Solar Rooftop Portal (TNPDCL), price calculator.
How to apply in Tamil Nadu
- Start at pmsuryaghar.gov.in with your TNPDCL service number, and register it on the Tamil Nadu Solar Rooftop Portal. The registration fee is ₹500.
- Wait for validation and the Assistant Engineer's estimate sanction. Up to 10 kW, no technical feasibility check is needed.
- Choose a registered vendor and agree the price in writing. Insist on DCR panels from the approved list.
- Install, then upload the DCR undertaking, the vendor agreement and photos.
- TNPDCL inspects and fits the net meter. You pay for the meter. If your load or phase has to change, those charges are added to your next bill.
- The central subsidy follows TNPDCL approval: the scheme rules allow 15 days from TNPDCL's approval to process it, and it is paid to your bank account, or to your loan account if you took a scheme loan.
- The Tamil Nadu top-up follows, which the state portal says takes 7 to 15 days. Update your state-subsidy details on the portal if asked.
If you take a loan under the scheme, the subsidy goes to the loan account first. In March 2025 the scheme's loans were collateral-free up to ₹2,00,000 at 6.75% through public sector banks; the rate moves with the repo rate, so check today's (PIB, PM Surya Ghar explainer, 13 Mar 2025).
Costs most pages leave out
Network charge
Homes with solar up to 10 kW pay 20% of the low-tension network charge on solar output. The order says this is worked out on an assumed 21% capacity use or the inverter reading, whichever is lower; in practice bills have used the assumed figure, so we do too. At ₹1.60 a unit that is about ₹0.32, or about ₹290 a bill for 3 kW.
Surplus units lapse
Under net metering, extra units carry forward from bill to bill until 31 March, then lapse unpaid. Size the system to your use, not to the biggest subsidy.
The net meter
You pay for it, and the charge can land on your next bill. Ask what it will be before you sign.
TNPDCL summary of TNERC Order 8 of 2021 (rooftop solar), sections II, IV and VIII. Network charge ₹1.60 from 1 July 2025: TNERC Tariff Order No. 6 of 2025, TNPDCL copy, page 19 (the 2021 order set ₹1.27). Billing on the assumed figure in practice: DT Next, Oct 2024.
What people are reporting
The net meter took months.
The most common complaint. In September 2026 the energy minister called meters a major source of delay and said a new portal would track that step (DT Next, 21 Sep 2026). Ask for the meter date when the inspection is booked, and keep the reference number.
I am charged network fees on solar I never made.
The order allows the lower of an assumed output and the inverter reading, but bills have used the assumed figure, so a shaded roof can pay for units it did not produce. Solar homes have asked TNPDCL to charge on actual output (DT Next, Oct 2024). Check the inverter reading against the bill.
I did not know where to apply.
Two portals, several stages. Start at pmsuryaghar.gov.in, then the state portal, where you may also need to update your state-subsidy details.
Do I get ₹1 lakh?
Only for 3 kW or more. Videos and ads lead with ₹1 lakh; a 1 kW system gets ₹35,000.
Composites of news reports, posts and videos in 2026, summarised in our words. We have not named anyone.
Questions people ask
Is a solar subsidy available in Tamil Nadu?
Yes, two. Under PM Surya Ghar the centre pays ₹30,000 per kilowatt up to 2 kW, then ₹18,000 for the third, so at most ₹78,000. Tamil Nadu adds ₹5,000, ₹10,000 or ₹22,000 for homes registered from 5 August 2026, under G.O.(Ms) No. 102. Together, up to ₹1,00,000 for a 3 kW or larger system.
What does a 3 kW solar system cost in Tamil Nadu after subsidy?
The state portal shows an indicative market price of ₹1,80,000 to ₹2,20,000 for 3 kW. Take off ₹1,00,000 of subsidy and you pay about ₹80,000 to ₹1,20,000. Quotes vary by brand and roof, so get more than one.
How do I get the PM Surya Ghar subsidy in Tamil Nadu?
Start at pmsuryaghar.gov.in, register your TNPDCL connection on the state portal, use a registered vendor and Indian-made (DCR) panels, and let TNPDCL inspect and fit the net meter. The central subsidy is paid to your bank account after that, and the Tamil Nadu top-up follows; the state portal has a form to update your state-subsidy details if needed.
What about a 5 kW system?
The subsidy stops growing at 3 kW: a 5 kW system gets the same ₹78,000 from the centre and ₹22,000 from the state. The extra 2 kW is at your cost, so it pays only if you use the extra units; surplus units lapse every 31 March.
Will solar make my TNEB bill zero?
The energy charge can reach zero if your panels make as many units as you use in the two months. You still pay a network charge on solar, about ₹97 a bill per kW. Under net metering, surplus units carry forward and lapse unpaid on 31 March; net feed-in, which pays a fixed rate for exports, is the alternative.
Sources
- MNRE operational guidelines, PM Surya Ghar (copy hosted by JBVNL). Central subsidy amounts (clause 5(h)), DCR modules (5(m)), payment within 15 days of DISCOM approval (6(t)), benchmark costs (5(g)).
- G.O.(Ms) No. 102, Energy Department, 19 Sep 2026. Tamil Nadu top-up: ₹5,000, ₹10,000 or ₹22,000; registrations from 5 Aug 2026; up to 1 lakh homes.
- Tamil Nadu Solar Rooftop Portal (TNPDCL). Steps, indicative market prices, automatic state top-up, "4 to 5 units" a kW a day.
- TNPDCL summary of TNERC Order 8 of 2021 (rooftop solar). Net metering for homes up to sanctioned load; surplus lapses on 31 March; network charge 20% for homes up to 10 kW at 21% CUF; ₹500 registration.
- PIB, PM Surya Ghar explainer, 13 Mar 2025. Collateral-free loans up to ₹2 lakh at 6.75% (March 2025).
- Bills: TNERC Order No. 4 of 2026, 27 Apr 2026 and TNERC Order No. 5 of 2026, 26 May 2026, through the same engine as the TNEB bill calculator.
- News reports: DT Next, 21 Sep 2026, DT Next, Oct 2024.
Every figure is worked out by one tested engine; see how we check rates. Found a mistake? Tell us and see how we correct it.