Solar for Housing Societies

Apartment complexes are one of the most under-tapped solar opportunities in Hyderabad - partly because the billing and approval mechanics are different from a home or a business, and most installers don't explain them clearly. Here's how it actually works.

The common-area meter is the project, not the flat meters

Every apartment complex has two kinds of electricity connections:

1. Individual flat meters - billed to each owner under the LT-1 domestic tariff
2. Common-area meter(s) - registered in the society's/association's name, billed under LT Cat 2A (non-domestic) or a dedicated common-area category, depending on the connection vintage

The common-area meter runs:

• Lifts (the single biggest load in most blocks)
• Water pumps (booster + sump-to-overhead, often two-stage)
• Corridor and stairwell lighting
• STP / WTP if present
• Gym, clubhouse, pool pump, garden lighting
• Security cabin, CCTV, intercom
• DG auxiliary

This is the meter you solarise. Net metering is filed under the society's service number, not any individual flat. Generation offsets the common-area bill, and the savings flow to the maintenance fund - which lowers per-flat maintenance dues.

PM Surya Ghar does not cover society common areas

This is the single most common misunderstanding we untangle for committees.

PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana subsidies (up to ₹78,000) apply only to individual residential connections - that is, the flat-owner's personal meter, under the domestic tariff. Subsidy slabs:

• Up to 2 kW: ₹30,000/kW
• 2–3 kW: ₹18,000/kW additional
• Capped at ₹78,000

For an individual flat owner with rooftop access (top-floor or villa), this is fantastic. For the common-area meter - registered to the society/AOA under a non-domestic tariff - the scheme does not apply. No central subsidy, no DISCOM subsidy.

This is not a loophole that can be worked around by "registering it under a flat owner's name" - that misrepresents the connection and risks net-metering cancellation later. The good news: even without subsidy, common-area solar pays back in 4–5 years at non-domestic tariffs because the base unit cost is so much higher.

Sizing for a typical block

Flats	Common load	System size	Approx. cost
40	~₹50k/mo	25–30 kWp	₹17–20 L
80	~₹1.2L/mo	50–60 kWp	₹32–38 L
150+	~₹2L+/mo	80–120 kWp	₹50–75 L

The General Body approval process (don't skip steps)

For an apartment association, solar is a capital expenditure on common property. That means it goes through the General Body, not just the managing committee. Sequence we recommend:

1. Committee briefing - savings analysis, vendor shortlist, structural feasibility
2. Vendor walk-through - site visit, roof load assessment, shadow study
3. Three comparable proposals - same kWp size, same Tier-1 spec, itemised
4. Notice for Special/Annual GBM - circulate proposals, savings forecast, AMC terms, 15 clear days notice as per Telangana Societies Registration Act / TSAOA bylaws
5. GBM resolution - minimum quorum + majority vote, recorded in minutes
6. Bank mandate - updated signatory authority for the payment milestones
7. DISCOM net-metering application under society's service number
8. Commissioning + handover - generation report shared in every committee meeting

Skipping the GBM step is the most common reason solar projects get challenged a year later when committees change. Get the resolution. Keep the minutes.

Financing options that work for societies

• Outright (corpus or sinking fund) - best ROI, 4–5 year payback, society owns the asset
• OPEX / RESCO (PPA model) - zero capex; society pays a fixed ₹/unit (typically ₹4.5–₹6) for 10–15 years; vendor owns the plant
• Phased rollout - start with one block's common meter, expand after proving generation

For long-tenure societies with healthy sinking funds, outright wins almost every time. For cash-strapped associations, OPEX removes the friction at the cost of long-term savings.

What we hand over to every society

• Single-line diagram and CEIG approval copy (where applicable above 56 kWp)
• Net-metering agreement and first export reading proof
• A monthly generation + savings report in plain English
• A 30-year maintenance plan that doesn't depend on the current secretary