Net Metering Charges in India by State (2026)

Before your customer signs the work order, they will ask one question you need to answer with precision: "What charges will the DISCOM levy for net metering?" Get this wrong and you either over-promise a payback period or lose the sale to a competitor who quoted confidently. This guide gives you the state-by-state net metering charges that regulators' and DISCOMs' own documents state (checked 31 October 2026): application fees, meter costs, export and settlement rules, banking charges and wheeling charges. Where we could not open a current official document, the table says "Not verified" instead of guessing, so your teams quote from fact, not assumption.

Why net metering charges matter to an EPC business

Net metering is not free. Every DISCOM levies some combination of one-time charges (application, meter, security deposit) and recurring charges (wheeling, banking, service charges on export). When you are scaling across multiple states, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, you cannot apply a single cost template, so it pays to study the state-by-state DISCOM net metering process before standardising your quoting logic. A wrong charge structure produces a wrong payback period in your proposal, which either kills the sale or creates a credibility problem when the first bill arrives.

For a scaling EPC owner managing projects across states, the practical implication is: your quotation tool must be state-aware on net metering charges. If you are still building proposals manually or using a generic Excel sheet, DISCOM approval timelines and charge structures will create proposal errors at volume.

Net metering vs gross metering, charges differ

Before the state-by-state breakdown, understand the charging architecture difference between net metering and gross metering. Under net metering, the consumer pays only for net consumption (import minus export in the billing period). Under gross metering, all generation is exported at a fixed feed-in tariff, and all consumption is imported at the retail tariff, two separate meters, two separate transactions.

State-by-state: net metering application fees and one-time charges

The table below consolidates charges for the major DISCOM zones. Charges are for residential/LT consumers unless stated. Always verify with the specific sub-division office as tariff orders update annually, and see the step-by-step net metering application process for how these charges fit into the overall timeline. For West Bengal's 2025 fees in full, see the WBSEDCL net metering application guide.

Solar export tariff rates by state, the most important number

The export tariff, what the DISCOM credits per unit of solar electricity you export, is one of the biggest variables in the payback period calculation, so model it with your customer's own numbers. Study this table carefully before quoting, and cross-check it against solar payback period by state for the full financial picture.

Wheeling charges and banking charges for export, the hidden cost

Many EPCs quote only the export tariff without flagging wheeling and banking charges that some states levy on the exported units. These reduce the effective return from net metering.

Gujarat DISCOM comparison, DGVCL vs MGVCL vs PGVCL vs UGVCL

All four Gujarat DISCOMs operate under the same GERC regulations. GERC's Grid Interactive Distributed Renewable Energy Sources Regulations, 2026 are listed on its site as notified on 30 October 2026 and repeal the 2016 rooftop regulations, so the charges and limits for Gujarat should be re-checked against the new text.

System capacity limits for net metering by state

Not all states allow unlimited capacity under net metering, and the caps below are from the regulation texts we opened. Knowing the cap upfront avoids a situation where your customer's proposed system size exceeds the net metering limit and requires a different regulatory pathway.

1. 1
   Gujarat (all DISCOMs): Under GERC's DRES Regulations, 2026 (listed as notified 30 Oct 2026), net metering covers 1 kW to 1,000 kW (AC); gross metering 6 to 4,000 kW; group net metering 6 to 1,000 kW; virtual net metering 10 to 4,000 kW (AC). Most residential systems are 1 to 10 kW and fall well within the limits.
2. 2
   Maharashtra (MSEDCL): Net metering capacity is limited to 5 MW or the consumer's contract demand or sanctioned load, whichever is lower (MERC First Amendment, 2023, as set out in its Statement of Reasons of 16 Nov 2023; the earlier limit was 1 MW). We read the amended text there, not the consolidated regulation, so confirm the current consolidated text for large systems.
3. 3
   Karnataka (BESCOM): Not verified. KERC's site did not load when we checked, so we state no cap. BESCOM's Common SOP (file dated 17 Oct 2025) treats distributed solar applications up to 150 kW as deemed feasible and sends larger ones for feasibility review.
4. 4
   Tamil Nadu (TANGEDCO): Not verified: we could not open the current TNERC regulation. Confirm consumer's tariff category with TANGEDCO before advising net vs gross metering, ideally by walking through TANGEDCO's net metering procedure for the connection type in question.
5. 5
   Delhi (BSES / TPDDL): Ordinary net metering limits: not verified. DERC's 2019 group and virtual net metering guidelines set a 5 kW minimum, and after the 2024 amendment there is no cap on rooftop solar under either arrangement; ground-mounted capacity is limited to 5 times the participants' sanctioned load, up to 10 MW.
6. 6
   Telangana and West Bengal: Telangana allows net metering up to 500 kWp and generally caps capacity at 100% of sanctioned load for residential and government consumers and 80% of sanctioned load or contract demand for others (TGERC Regulation 1 of 2025). West Bengal allows 1 kW up to 500 kW or the contract demand or sanctioned load, whichever is lower (WBERC Regulations, 2025). Rajasthan, UP and Andhra Pradesh: not verified. UP's DISCOMs are PVVNL, MVVNL, PuVVNL and KESCO, so confirm the right one for your project location.

Pros and cons of net metering for EPCs operating across multiple states

How Quickest Solar CRM handles multi-state net metering charges in proposals

For a scaling EPC running projects across several states, tracking state-wise net metering charges, export rules and banking rules is a proposal-quality risk. Quickest Solar CRM does not look these up for you, so keep a dated sheet of the figures above and use the CRM to carry them into every proposal. Here is what it does cover:

• → Proposal templates: A proposal PDF with your logo, items, product photos, and terms and conditions. Put the state's current fee and settlement rule in your terms so every proposal states them the same way.
• → Price list with margin: The admin sets the price list with margin, so you can add the meter and application charge as a separate item on the proposal, visible to the customer.
• → PM Surya Ghar subsidy in the proposal: For empanelled PM Surya Ghar vendors, the subsidy is applied in the proposal. The net metering rate and payback assumptions are yours to add.
• → Lead stages for approvals: Create customisable lead stages and labels for the net metering application steps, filter leads by stage, and set follow-up reminders, relevant when managing DISCOM approval processes across multiple states.
• → Team report: The dashboard and team report show your team's leads and activity, and a filter on the "awaiting net meter" stage keeps post-installation follow-up from falling through the cracks while your sales team is closing new leads.

Key regulatory sources for net metering charges in India

For official reference, here are the regulatory bodies and portals to verify current net metering charge orders for each state:

Summary: what the verified documents show

We cannot name a single most favourable state, because we could not verify the tariff data for every state. Here is what the verified documents show:

Clearest published settlement rule: Telangana, which settles exports above imports every month at a notified rate (the lowest solar PPA tariff of the preceding year).

Lowest published application fee: West Bengal at ₹1,000 for LV and MV (Telangana is ₹2,500 for LT). Gujarat's fee schedule needs checking against the 2026 regulations.

Largest net metering ceiling we verified: Maharashtra at 5 MW or contract demand or sanctioned load, whichever is lower, against 1,000 kW (AC) in Gujarat's 2026 regulations and 500 kW or kWp in West Bengal and Telangana.

Watch closely: Gujarat (new regulations, 30 Oct 2026), Maharashtra (Grid Support Charge once rooftop capacity reaches 5,000 MW) and West Bengal (leftover net-metering units reset to zero).

For EPC owners managing projects across multiple states, the operational answer is a dated sheet per state that your team updates whenever a regulation changes. See how the MSEDCL process, DGVCL process, and UGVCL process work in state-specific depth.

Frequently asked questions about net metering charges in India