Solar Calculator Puducherry 2026

Rooftop Solar in Puducherry

The Puducherry Electricity Department (PED) is the sole distribution utility across the UT's four geographically separate regions - Puducherry and Karaikal on the Coromandel coast, Mahe on the Malabar coast and Yanam in Andhra Pradesh. PED offers grid-connected net metering for residential rooftop systems and has promoted uptake through the national PM Surya Ghar portal.

Tariffs and net metering

Domestic slabs are telescopic and billed from the very first unit: roughly Rs 2.70 up to 100 units, Rs 4.00 for 101-200, Rs 6.00 for 201-300 and about Rs 7.50 above 300, plus a small fixed charge per kW and a 5 percent electricity duty. Because the upper slabs are relatively high, a rooftop system that trims 300-plus-unit usage delivers strong savings. Exported surplus earns net-metering credits that offset later consumption; confirm the current settlement rate and sanctioned-load limits with PED before you apply.

Coastal sunshine

Puducherry's coastal, tropical location gives dependable year-round sun, averaging about 4.4-4.7 peak hours per kW per day, with the monsoon months being the main dip. Humidity and salt-laden coastal air mean panels benefit from regular cleaning and corrosion-resistant mounting, and a modest tilt near the local latitude works well. The Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam enclaves see broadly similar tropical exposure, though local shading, roof orientation and available area matter more than any regional average. Fine-tune yours with our tilt angle calculator.

How PM Surya Ghar applies

The central PM Surya Ghar subsidy pays Rs 30,000 per kW up to 2 kW and Rs 18,000 for the third kW, capped at Rs 78,000 for 3 kW and above (residential up to 10 kW), released by direct benefit transfer after commissioning, with collateral-free loans around 7 percent. Puducherry is not a special-category UT, so the standard central amounts apply; check pmsuryaghar.gov.in for the latest position and any temporary local incentives.

Worked example

A 3 kW system at about 4.5 units per kW per day produces roughly 13.5 units a day, near 400 units a month. For a home consuming 350-400 units, this offsets most of the costly upper slabs and can pay back within a few years after subsidy. Model your numbers below.

• National solar calculator for a quick estimate
• On-grid calculator for net-metered sizing
• Savings calculator to project returns

Tariffs and subsidy rules change periodically, so use these as indicative figures.

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 Puducherry Electricity Department (PED) is the single distribution utility for all four regions - Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. Your bill and net-metering application go through PED.

Yes, PED offers net metering for grid-connected residential systems, crediting surplus units you export. Confirm the current export settlement rate with PED before finalising your system size.

Puducherry is not a special-category UT, so the standard central PM Surya Ghar amounts apply and our calculator keeps the state top-up at zero. Check pmsuryaghar.gov.in for any temporary schemes.

At around 4.5 sun-hours per kW, roughly 13.5 units per day or near 400 units a month. That can offset most of a household's costly 300-plus-unit slab consumption.