Solar Calculator Andaman & Nicobar 2026

Rooftop solar in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands: department, net metering and diesel

Electricity across the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is supplied by the A&N Electricity Department, with tariffs set by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for the union territories. The islands are a special-category UT and lean heavily on imported diesel for generation, which makes the real cost of supply far higher than mainland grids, a key reason rooftop solar, and increasingly solar-plus-storage, is so valuable here. Please treat the special-category status and its evolving incentives as details to verify locally.

Net metering and solar incentives

The department supports net metering for grid-connected rooftop systems, and JERC has actively rewarded solar adoption. In one order, residential rooftop-solar consumers in a defined consumption band saw their energy charge cut sharply, reported as roughly ₹2.05 per unit against about ₹5 without solar, provided the install met a minimum size relative to connected load or roof area. Because such incentives change with each tariff order, confirm the current terms with the department first. Start with the on-grid solar calculator or the wider India solar calculator.

Tariffs, sunshine and savings

Domestic tariffs are telescopic: heavily subsidised at low consumption but climbing toward ₹6 to ₹7 per unit for larger households above 200 to 500 units a month. We use about ₹6 per unit as a representative marginal rate. The humid, cloud-prone island climate gives roughly 4.0 to 4.4 peak sun hours a day, so we assume about 4.2 units per kW daily, near 1,530 units a year per kW. Check your numbers with the solar savings calculator.

Why storage matters here

Because grid power leans on diesel and outages are more common than on the mainland, pairing panels with a battery can displace costly generator running and improve reliability. Compare options with the battery bank calculator and the generator vs battery calculator.

How PM Surya Ghar applies

The national PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana still applies here: ₹30,000 per kW up to 2 kW, an added ₹18,000 for the third kW, and a cap of ₹78,000 for 3 kW and larger, for residential capacity up to 10 kW, paid by Direct Benefit Transfer after commissioning, with roughly 7 percent collateral-free loans available. We keep the state top-up at zero, since no confirmed per-kW island capital grant sits above the central scheme.

Worked example

A 3 kW system might generate about 4,600 units a year. For an upper-slab household at ₹6 per unit, that offsets close to ₹27,000 annually, and with up to ₹78,000 of central subsidy the upfront cost falls sharply. Actual savings depend on which slab you sit in and the live solar tariff. Treat all figures as indicative and confirm with the A&N Electricity Department.

Solar calculators for other Indian states & UTs

Pick your state or union territory for localized subsidy, tariff and net-metering figures — or open the full India states directory or the national India solar calculator.

Frequently asked questions

The A&N Electricity Department supplies electricity across the islands and supports net metering for rooftop solar, with tariffs regulated by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC). Confirm the current metering and settlement rules with the department before you install.

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are a special-category UT that relies heavily on imported diesel for generation, so the real cost of supply is high. Rooftop solar, and increasingly solar with battery storage, directly displaces diesel and can improve reliability. Treat the special-category status as something to verify locally.

JERC has rewarded solar consumers in the past, with one order cutting the energy charge to roughly ₹2.05 per unit for qualifying rooftop-solar homes in a defined slab against about ₹5 without solar. These terms change with each tariff order, so confirm the live rate before sizing your system.

The national scheme applies: ₹30,000 per kW up to 2 kW, an added ₹18,000 for the third kW, capped at ₹78,000 for 3 kW and above, up to 10 kW residential, paid by Direct Benefit Transfer after commissioning. We keep the state top-up at zero as no confirmed per-kW island capital grant sits on top.