Bombay High Court Directs MSEDCL To Streamline Rooftop Solar Approvals The Bombay High Court has instructed the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) to provide automatic approvals for rooftop solar installations with a capacity of up to 10 kilowatts, aligning with central government guidelines. The directive came after a writ petition filed by the All India Renewable Energy Association and other stakeholders challenged MSEDCL’s practice of limiting solar capacity based on past electricity consumption. The court ruled that this approach violated the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, which mandate deemed approvals for rooftop solar projects up to 10kW without requiring technical feasibility studies. In its order, the division bench of Justices B P Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla directed MSEDCL to issue approvals for complete applications once the required fees are paid. The petition argued that the utility’s method of capping solar capacity based on historical usage was an unnecessary barrier to renewable energy adoption. The court emphasized that MSEDCL must adhere to the rules and ensure compliance with the central government’s framework for solar projects. MSEDCL assured the court that it would process applications for rooftop solar up to the sanctioned load and simultaneously handle requests for load enhancement if the proposed capacity exceeds the limit. The utility outlined approval timelines of three days in metropolitan areas, seven days in other municipal regions, and 15 days in rural areas. Cases requiring infrastructure upgrades, such as grid modifications, may take up to 90 days to resolve. Following the court’s directive, the petitioners withdrew several key demands, and the case was dismissed with a directive for MSEDCL to strictly follow its commitment.#times_of_india #bombay_high_court #all_india_renewable_energy_association #sudhir_budhay
