Just 2.5% domestic solar users to pay grid support charge: MSEDCL

Nagpur: Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has clarified that the grid support charge (GSC) applies only to rooftop solar users with sanctioned load above 10 kilowatts. Just 2.5% domestic rooftop solar users, and not all as being projected by certain groups, are liable to pay the charge, the company claimed.As per MSEDCL, the state has 3.17 crore electricity consumers, out of which only 44,246 consumers have been brought under the GSC ambit. This accounts for merely 0.14% of the total consumer base, it said.The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has mandated GSC for consumers with rooftop solar power generation systems and sanctioned load above 10 kilowatts. MSEDCL stated that the charge has been implemented strictly in accordance with MERC's tariff order dated March 25, 2026.MSEDCL mentioned that among the 2.37 crore domestic electricity consumers in the state, around 6.57 lakh have installed rooftop solar systems. "GSC has been levied on only 16,410 (2.49%) domestic solar consumers, which is barely 0.07% of the total domestic consumer base," said MSEDCL.In the industrial category, the state has around 4.45 lakh consumers, including high tension (HT) and low tension (LT) consumers. Out of these, GSC will be levied on only 8,894 consumers, or nearly 2%, stated MSEDCL.In the commercial category, MSEDCL serves around 23.30 lakh consumers. Of these, only 12,832 consumers, accounting for 0.55%, are liable to pay the GSC, the compnay said.MSEDCL further pointed out MERC first approved the GSC concept in 2019, stating that the charge would be implemented once rooftop solar capacity in the state crossed 2,000 MW. The threshold was later increased to 5,000 MW in 2023. The surcharge came into effect after Maharashtra crossed the 5,000 MW rooftop solar capacity mark earlier this year.Meanwhile, MSEDCL maintained that rooftop solar consumers continue to receive significant financial benefits through net metering. Over the last year, around 4.90 lakh rooftop solar consumers received benefits worth Rs129.57 crore for supplying excess electricity to the grid. Of these, 4.72 lakh domestic consumers alone received benefits amounting to Rs124.55 crore, the company claimed.