Spread the love Pune: The Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) industry wing on Monday criticised Maharashtra’s new solar policy, warning that its provisions could undermine industrial cost competitiveness and prompt businesses to consider shifting investments to other states. At a press briefing, state general secretary Manish Konde and West Maharashtra vice-president Sagar Shingare said key elements of the policy—implemented from April 1—such as grid support charges, revisions in net metering, electricity duty on self-consumed solar power, and the implicit push towards battery-backed hybrid systems, have sharply reduced the economic attractiveness of rooftop and captive solar projects. According to Konde, the changes have materially altered project economics. “An industrial unit generating about 1 lakh units of solar power per month earlier saved roughly ₹10 lakh. Under the new framework, savings have dropped to around ₹2 lakh, implying a loss of ₹7–8 lakh per month,” he said, adding that restrictions on energy banking and additional levies have compounded the burden on MSMEs and solar EPC players. Industry estimates cited by the NCP wing suggest that 800–1,500 units in the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad belts are already impacted, while 5,000–10,000 units across Maharashtra could face stress. The annual financial hit to the sector could be in the range of ₹5,000–₹9,000 crore, with potential spillover effects on employment in the solar value chain. Shingare highlighted operational inefficiencies arising from the policy design. “Despite generating their own power, industries are being levied grid support charges. Inadequate provisions for banking or night-time utilisation mean surplus daytime generation often goes underutilised, weakening the core value proposition of solar,” he said. He added that competing states such as Gujarat and Rajasthan continue to offer more favourable solar frameworks, including stable net metering regimes and lower charges, thereby attracting incremental investments. “If Maharashtra does not recalibrate its policy, there is a credible risk of capital and capacity migrating to other states,” he warned. Policy concerns flagged by industry representatives: Levy of grid support charges on captive solar generation Changes in net metering reduce export benefits Electricity duty on self-consumed solar power Limited flexibility for banking and nighttime consumption Increased reliance on battery (hybrid) systems, affecting capex Key demands: Rollback of grid support charges Restoration of earlier net metering norms Exemption from electricity duty on captive solar use Greater flexibility in energy banking and consumption Making battery storage optional Post Views: 4 Post navigation Fraud by Luring Customers with Interest-Free Loans Pune to host the preliminary round of‘Quiz on Korea 2026’ on 28th June 2026