WBSEDCL Net Metering for Industry: West Bengal Guide

Direct answer

West Bengal industry installs rooftop solar under the WBERC Grid Interactive Rooftop Solar PV (Prosumers) Regulations, 2025, notified 31 July 2025. Net metering is available up to 500 kW or sanctioned load/contract demand, whichever is lower; systems above 500 kW route to net billing or gross metering. Applications up to 10 kW are auto-approved without a feasibility study, and DISCOMs must run an online portal within a month of notification.

What the 2025 regulations changed

The Prosumer Regulations 2025 replaced WBERC's 2020 rooftop framework and standardised three settlement models (Energetica India, Aug 2025; WBERC regulations list):

• Net metering - exports offset imports, annual surplus reset; capped at 500 kW/sanctioned load, minimum 1 kW eligibility. Feeder and distribution-transformer level cumulative interconnection is capped at 100% of capacity.
• Net billing - exports earn a feed-in tariff while imports are billed at retail; yearly monetary settlement. This is the route for systems above 500 kW.
• Gross metering - all generation sold to the DISCOM at the feed-in tariff.

WBERC set discom-wise rooftop capacity targets: WBSEDCL must connect 100 MW in 2025-26 rising to 195 MW in 2026-27, with CESC and DVC at 25 MW each rising to 50 MW - a signal that approvals should flow faster than in the 2020-framework years.

WBSEDCL and CESC tariffs: what solar displaces

WBSEDCL's industrial tariff outside the DVC command area is above ₹7 per unit, and from 1 September 2026 the 33 kV industrial rate in the DVC command area (parts of Burdwan, Howrah, Hooghly, Bankura) rises from ₹4.70 to ₹5.70/unit - a jump of more than 20% (Outlook Business, Aug 2025). Secondary FY 2025-26 compilations put LT commercial at ₹7.50-9.00/kWh, HT commercial at ₹7.00-8.50/kWh, and HT industrial at ₹5.00-7.00/kWh depending on voltage level (Open Access Exchange, May 2026 - verify against the notified Generic Tariff 2025-26 for your category).

Our West Bengal industrial solar overview covers the state market, Howrah/Durgapur/Haldia clusters and WBERC feed-in tariffs in depth.

Application process on WBSEDCL

1. Apply through WBSEDCL's solar application route (Procedure-C, 2025) with load details and system design; fees are ₹1,000 for LV/MV and ₹5,000 for HV/EHV connections.
2. Systems up to 10 kW are approved automatically; larger systems get a feasibility response within 15 days.
3. Install within 180 days (90-day extension possible) using an ALMM-listed vendor.
4. DISCOM installs the bidirectional meter and commissions; infrastructure costs for systems up to 10 kW are borne by the DISCOM.

CEIG electrical-inspector approval applies above the state threshold - process in our CEIG approval guide. For plants beyond 500 kW, WBERC's Open Access Regulations 2022 govern third-party and captive supply; CSS exemption for captive plants is limited to each user's proportional equity share.

Where the load sits: Howrah, Hooghly and Kharagpur belts

• Howrah Industrial Park (Belur) - 69 acres on NH-19 corridor, 10 km from Dankuni.
• Uluberia Industrial Park - 160 acres, ~70 units in iron & steel, food processing and plastics, with a dedicated 33/11 kV substation.
• Kharagpur General Industrial Park - ~205 acres on NH-6, anchored by Rashmi Metaliks and Tata Steel's former Metaliks works.

These estates are WBIIDC-run, and the DVC-area tariff reset due September 2026 makes self-generation materially more attractive for Howrah and Hooghly belt factories. West Bengal has no state capital subsidy for C&I solar - the national tax levers (accelerated depreciation, 5% GST with input credit) apply, as set out in our commercial solar subsidy guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the net metering cap in West Bengal for commercial and industrial consumers?

500 kW or the consumer's sanctioned load/contract demand, whichever is lower, under the WBERC Prosumer Regulations 2025. Systems above 500 kW can still be installed under net billing (exports at feed-in tariff) or gross metering.

Can a factory in West Bengal install solar larger than 500 kW?

Yes, but exports above the 500 kW net-metering threshold are compensated at the feed-in tariff under net billing rather than offsetting imports one-for-one. Plants above 500 kW should be sized carefully against daytime load to keep the higher-value net-metering share maximised.

What is the difference between net metering and net billing in West Bengal?

Under net metering, each exported unit offsets an imported unit at retail value, with surpluses reset annually. Under net billing, exports are paid at a separate feed-in tariff while all imports are billed at the retail rate - the annual settlement is in rupees, not energy units.

How long does WBSEDCL take to approve a rooftop solar application?

Statutorily 15 days for feasibility on systems above 10 kW (up to 10 kW is auto-approved without feasibility), with installation due within 180 days plus a 90-day extension. The 2025 regulations also mandate an online portal and push infrastructure costs for small systems onto the DISCOM.

Is solar worth it for industry in the DVC command area of West Bengal?

Increasingly yes: the 33 kV DVC-area industrial rate rises from ₹4.70 to ₹5.70/unit from September 2026, and the belt's large shed roofs support multi-MW plants. Model against your post-2026 tariff slab; self-consumption paybacks in West Bengal typically run 4-5.5 years with accelerated depreciation.