Eluru district has emerged as the top performer in Andhra Pradesh in implementing the ‘PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana,’ a Central Government scheme aimed at promoting rooftop solar power adoption among households.

In a release on Thursday, APEPDCL Superintending Engineer (SE) Salman Raju said that 2,353 domestic electricity consumers in Eluru district have installed solar panels under the scheme, positioning the district at the forefront of renewable energy adoption in the State.

Mr. Raju explained that the scheme offers substantial subsidies—₹30,000 per kilowatt for the first two kilowatts and ₹18,000 for the third kilowatt—capped at a maximum subsidy of ₹78,000 for installations up to three kilowatts.

Eluru district alone has witnessed a subsidy-driven investment of ₹12.14 crore, enabling the generation of 7.8 megawatts of rooftop solar power. These households are collectively producing nearly one million units of electricity per month. Surplus energy, after domestic consumption, is being compensated by the department at ₹2.09 per unit, he added.

As part of an initiative to deepen solar penetration, efforts are underway to develop five villages—Dwaraka Tirumala, Duggirala, Chinnanindrakolanu, Tadikalapudi, and Errampeta—as model solar villages.

Further, a targeted plan has identified 27,053 SC and ST domestic power consumers across the district to receive 2-kilowatt rooftop solar systems per household, totaling an estimated 54.11 megawatts. The New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) floated tenders for this initiative on July 3, 2025.

Highlighting the environmental significance, Mr. Raju noted that the district’s thrust on solar energy not only promotes clean and renewable power, but also reduces carbon emissions, supporting the larger goal of climate sustainability.

A pilot project with a 750 KWp solar power plant has also been launched at G. Kothapalli village in Dwaraka Tirumala mandal. The project aims to provide free electricity to all government offices and residential consumers within the local panchayat, he said.