Solar Investment Turns Liability for Nagpur Hotels Amid New Rules The Nagpur Residential Hotels Association (NRHA) has raised serious concerns over the current electricity tariff structure and Time-of-Day (ToD) regulations, stating that recent policy changes have drastically reduced the effective use of solar power while increasing financial burdens on the hospitality sector. According to NRHA, hotels that invested heavily in rooftop solar systems now utilize only a fraction of the energy they generate. Data from multiple member establishments shows that, on average, barely 4.6% of total electricity consumption occurs during designated ToD hours (9am to 5pm). As a result, only about 7.6% of solar energy generated is actually consumed by hotels, while a massive 92.4% is exported to the grid. Despite this export, hoteliers claim they are not adequately compensated. Instead, they are required to pay a grid support charge of Rs1.96 per unit on the entire solar energy generated. This has effectively turned what was once seen as a cost-saving green investment into an additional recurring expense. A case in point highlights the severity of the issue. In March, a city hotel recorded a total electricity consumption of 5,923 units, with a Rs1.70 lakh bill. During the same period, its solar installation generated 4,217 units. However, only 324 units—produced during ToD hours—were adjusted against consumption. The remaining solar generation was exported to the grid, yet the hotel was still charged grid support fees on the full 4,217 units generated. NRHA president Tejinder Singh Renu said the current framework penalizes those who adopted renewable energy in good faith.#hotel #nagpur_residential_hotels_association #tejinder_singh_renu #maharashtra_electricity_regulatory_commission #sudhir_budhe
