Can solar power finally break J&K’s electricity crisis cycle?

The useful part

Jammu and Kashmir's recurring electricity crisis may have a partial solution in three developments already taking shape — rooftop solar, smart metering and the newly introduced Time-of-Day (ToD) tariff. Taken together, these measures could reduce dependence on costly grid power, flatten peak demand and, over time, help contain electricity costs. A major rooftop solarisation programme covering thousands of government establishments is under implementation, with official plans running into hundreds of megawatts.

How it works

• Pumping stations, lift and irrigation schemes, workshops, and similar operations should be examined individually.
• The programme provides for net metering and bidirectional smart meters, allowing government buildings to consume their own solar generation and feed surplus electricity into the grid.
• Consumers with sanctioned load above 10 kW and compatible metering are eligible for a 20 percent rebate during the 9 am-5 pm solar period, while specified peak-hour consumption attracts a surcharge.
• Once solarised, their dependence on grid electricity during the day could fall further.
• This should now become an accountability issue for the Finance and Power Departments.

What to take from it

Where storage or operational flexibility permits, there is little logic in running heavy loads during the evening peak when they could instead be operated... Government establishments should identify every flexible load that can be shifted towards solar hours.

Example or evidence

• The government has already begun with its own buildings.

Details worth keeping

JERC's new ToD tariff can complement this effort.