TANGEDCO Net Metering Guide 2026

Tamil Nadu is consistently among India's top five solar states, and TANGEDCO, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation, is the single DISCOM that handles net metering for nearly the entire state. A well-prepared TANGEDCO net metering application clears in 60–90 days from submission to bidirectional meter commissioning. A poorly prepared one loops through corrections, field inspections, and TNERC escalation for five months or more. This guide is written for EPC owners operating in Tamil Nadu who want to submit right the first time, for every project, every time.

TANGEDCO coverage area and jurisdiction

Unlike Karnataka, which has five DISCOMs, Tamil Nadu has a single state-wide distributor: TANGEDCO (Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited). This means there is no inter-DISCOM confusion for Tamil Nadu projects, if the supply is from a Tamil Nadu electricity board connection, it is TANGEDCO.

Areas under TANGEDCO jurisdiction:

• All 38 districts of Tamil Nadu (including Chennai city)
• Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu (Chennai Metropolitan Area)
• Coimbatore, Salem, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Trichy, all major commercial hubs
• Parts of the Union Territory of Puducherry that receive Tamil Nadu grid supply (verify on the consumer's bill)

Exceptions to note:

• Pondicherry city proper (PPCL, Pondicherry Power Corporation Limited) is a separate utility, TANGEDCO rules do not apply there
• TANGEDCO handles both LT (low-tension) and HT (high-tension) connections, net metering is available for both up to TNERC's capacity cap

Before starting any application, confirm the consumer's electricity bill header shows "TANGEDCO" along with the section, sub-division, and division office. The consumer service number (CSN) printed on the bill is the primary identifier for all TANGEDCO portal interactions.

TNERC regulations governing TANGEDCO net metering

TANGEDCO's net metering process is governed by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) Net Metering Regulations 2013, with significant amendments in 2019 and 2023 that revised capacity caps and export tariff methodology. TANGEDCO operates under the oversight of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) administers the national PM Surya Ghar framework under which many Tamil Nadu residential applications now route. Key regulatory parameters for FY 2026:

• Applicable regulation: TNERC Net Metering Regulations 2013 (as amended up to 2023)
• Maximum capacity: 1 MW per consumer connection (raised from 500 kW in the 2023 amendment)
• System capacity limit per consumer: Must not exceed the consumer's sanctioned load in kW; or 90% of the transformer's available capacity in the local distribution network, whichever is lower
• Eligible consumer categories: Domestic (LT1), Non-domestic commercial (LT2), Small Industry (LT3), Medium Supply (LT4), Agriculture (LT5), HT industrial, all categories are eligible
• Mandatory inverter requirement: Grid-tied inverter with anti-islanding protection complying with IEC 62116 / IS 16169 and frequency/voltage ride-through capability
• Meter standard: Three-phase or single-phase bidirectional smart meter complying with IS 16444 Part 3, TANGEDCO procures, installs, and owns the meter
• Net export carryover: Unused export credits carry forward for 12 months; balance is settled at the TNERC-approved purchase price at year-end

The TANGEDCO 7-Stage Net Metering Approval Framework

The process below reflects the combined workflow across the Solarrooftop national portal (MNRE) and the TANGEDCO consumer portal. Both portals are involved; knowing which step belongs to which system prevents confusion.

1. 1

   Pre-Application Check, Verify eligibility before touching any portal

   Confirm the consumer is on TANGEDCO supply (check bill header). Confirm the consumer service number (CSN) format, TANGEDCO uses a numeric CSN that also appears as the "SC No." on the bill. Confirm that the proposed system kWp does not exceed the consumer's sanctioned load. Confirm that the name on the TANGEDCO bill exactly matches the applicant's Aadhaar / PAN. Check whether the building has a valid plan approval (patta or approved building plan), TANGEDCO has tightened this requirement for new applications post-2022. For PM Surya Ghar projects, verify MNRE empanelment is current and the vendor registration on the Solarrooftop portal is active.

2. 2

   Solarrooftop Portal Registration, National portal submission (MNRE)

   For PM Surya Ghar and MNRE-tracked applications, register on solarrooftop.gov.in. Select Tamil Nadu as the state and TANGEDCO as the DISCOM. The consumer registers with their CSN and mobile number linked to the TANGEDCO account. Fill in proposed system capacity, select the registered vendor (your company), and submit. The Solarrooftop portal generates an application reference number that maps to TANGEDCO's backend. Non-PM Surya Ghar commercial/industrial consumers may apply directly through the TANGEDCO consumer portal (tangedco.gov.in), the TNERC workflow is identical, only the portal entry point differs.

3. 3

   TANGEDCO Feasibility Inspection, Section office site visit

   After application submission, the TANGEDCO section office (Junior Engineer or Assistant Engineer level) schedules a site visit to assess technical feasibility: transformer loading at the consumer's feeder, accessibility of the service connection point, meter panel space for bidirectional meter installation, and roof access. TNERC mandates this visit within 15 working days of application receipt. In Chennai and Coimbatore, the visit typically happens within 12–20 working days. In rural sections (Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Ramanathapuram), allow 20–30 working days. Be physically present at the site, the AE may raise clarifications on-the-spot that can stall the approval if left unaddressed.

4. 4

   Technical Sanction, TANGEDCO approval letter and interconnection agreement

   After the feasibility inspection clears, TANGEDCO issues a Technical Sanction letter specifying the approved capacity (kWp), approved inverter specifications, and any grid strengthening requirements (rare for systems ≤25 kW). The consumer also receives a draft Net Metering Agreement from TANGEDCO. Both the consumer and the EPC company must sign and return the agreement. TNERC target: sanction within 15 working days of feasibility clearance. In practice, this stage takes 15–25 working days across most Tamil Nadu sections. Do not start panel installation before receiving the signed sanction, TANGEDCO has rejected post-installation applications citing unauthorised grid connection.

5. 5

   EPC Installation, Solar system installation per sanctioned specifications

   Install the system exactly per the sanctioned design, do not substitute the approved inverter model or exceed the approved kWp without filing an amendment. After installation, obtain the Electrical Inspection Certificate from the Tamil Nadu Electrical Inspectorate (Chief Electrical Inspector office or delegated officer for systems below 25 kW, applicable under Tamil Nadu Electricity Supply Code). Take date-stamped installation photos. Prepare the as-built single-line diagram. For PM Surya Ghar projects, upload the completion documents (photos + electrical inspection certificate) to the Solarrooftop portal to trigger the next stage in that workflow.

6. 6

   Commissioning Request, Submit completion documents to TANGEDCO

   Submit the Commissioning Request (CR) through the TANGEDCO consumer portal or Solarrooftop portal, attaching: electrical inspection certificate, installation completion photographs, as-built single-line diagram, and the signed interconnection agreement (if not already filed). The TANGEDCO section AE reviews the CR and schedules the final inspection. TNERC target: commissioning visit within 7 working days of CR receipt. In reality, this step takes 10–20 working days in most sections. Proactively follow up with the section AE on day 8 after CR submission, TANGEDCO's portal notification system is not reliably triggered at this stage.

7. 7

   Bidirectional Meter Installation, Net metering goes live

   TANGEDCO's metering team visits, removes the existing single-direction meter, and installs the smart bidirectional net meter. They verify inverter anti-islanding, check the AC disconnect, and certify the connection point. The consumer's account is updated to net metering billing mode. The first net metering bill arrives in the next monthly cycle, confirm with the consumer that export units are shown on the bill. If they are not, raise a complaint immediately with the TANGEDCO section office. The billing correction process takes an additional 15–30 days if not flagged early.

TANGEDCO net metering document checklist

Submit all documents scanned at minimum 200 DPI, within the file size limits specified on the portal. Blurry or cut-off scans are rejected at intake, before the section office even reviews the application.

TANGEDCO net metering charges, full fee structure

For a comprehensive view of net metering charges across all Indian DISCOMs, see our guide on net metering charges in India.

TNERC solar export tariff, what your customer earns

The export tariff under TNERC is set by the tariff order issued each financial year. Unlike Gujarat (where the export tariff is closer to grid purchase tariff), Tamil Nadu's export tariff has historically been set below the grid supply tariff, this affects project payback calculations and must be clearly communicated to customers at proposal stage.

TANGEDCO vs BESCOM vs Gujarat DISCOMs, key process differences

Tamil Nadu EPC teams that have also operated in Karnataka or Gujarat frequently encounter process differences that cause delays when they apply BESCOM or Gujarat DISCOM habits to TANGEDCO applications.

For the BESCOM process in detail, see our BESCOM net metering guide.

Common Tamil Nadu installer mistakes, and how to avoid them

Pros and cons of TANGEDCO net metering for Tamil Nadu EPC businesses

Escalating to TNERC Consumer Grievance Forum

If TANGEDCO fails to process the application within TNERC-mandated timelines, 15 working days for feasibility, 15 working days for sanction, 7 working days for commissioning, the consumer (or the EPC on behalf of the consumer) can escalate to the TNERC Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF).

Escalation process:

1. First, file a complaint at the TANGEDCO section office with a written complaint in duplicate, obtain an acknowledgement with date and complaint number
2. If no response in 7 working days, escalate to the TANGEDCO division office (Executive Engineer level) with the complaint copy
3. If no resolution in 15 more working days, file online at the TNERC Consumer Grievance portal: tnerc.tn.gov.in → "Consumer" → "Grievance Redressal"
4. Include: application reference number, all communication records with TANGEDCO (emails, portal screenshots, acknowledgement receipts), and a timeline showing the breach of TNERC mandated days
5. TNERC CGRF is required to dispose of the complaint within 60 days; most straightforward net metering delay cases resolve in 30–45 days after filing

Keep printed and digital copies of every portal submission, email, and acknowledgement, you will need these for the CGRF complaint. Teams that maintain a structured project file per application win escalation cases consistently.

For a comparative view of rejection reasons and how to address them, see our guide on net metering rejection reasons across DISCOMs.

How QuickEstimate helps Tamil Nadu EPC teams manage TANGEDCO applications at scale

Managing 10–30 simultaneous TANGEDCO net metering applications, each at a different stage, each with its own follow-up deadline, is operationally complex when tracked in WhatsApp threads or spreadsheets. The TANGEDCO stage transitions (application → feasibility → sanction → installation → commissioning request → meter installation) map directly to pipeline stages in a CRM built for EPC operations.

• → Pipeline stage tracking: Each TANGEDCO application stage maps to a deal stage in QuickEstimate, you see every project's current stage at a glance, without opening individual files or calling customers.
• → Automated follow-up reminders: Set day-7, day-10, day-15 follow-up reminders for each stage, the system alerts your team when a TANGEDCO stage is overdue, so no application stalls silently.
• → Document checklist per project: Attach the document checklist to each project file, team members can mark which documents have been collected, reviewed, and uploaded to the portal.
• → Customer communication via WhatsApp: Send stage-update messages to customers, "Your TANGEDCO feasibility inspection is scheduled for [date]", directly from the CRM, keeping customers informed without manual messaging.
• → Team assignment and accountability: Assign specific team members to each application stage, the section office follow-up person, the installation supervisor, the commissioning coordinator, and track completion without daily team meetings.

Teams that manage TANGEDCO applications through a structured pipeline close 25–30% more projects per quarter because fewer applications stall mid-process. See how to build the right solar sales funnel and align it with your TANGEDCO application workflow.

Understanding the full qualifying process for solar leads helps you identify which customers are genuinely ready to proceed, filtering out leads where the building plan issue, CSN mismatch, or name-change requirement would delay the application by 60+ days before it can even be filed.

FAQ