DISCOM guide · West Bengal
For two years PM Surya Ghar in West Bengal meant CESC homes only. In 2026 it opened to WBSEDCL, the utility that supplies most of the state, and West Bengal added its own top-up. Here is what a 1, 2 and 3 kW plant gets, how the national portal and WBSEDCL's own forms fit together, and which charges still land on you.
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Fast triage: If your bill says WBSEDCL, you can now apply on pmsuryaghar.gov.in. A 3 kW plant gets ₹78,000 central + ₹15,000 state = ₹93,000 (SC/ST: a further ₹15,000). Full money page: solar subsidy in West Bengal. The application fee is zero under the subsidy scheme, but you pay WBSEDCL for the generation meter and modem. Up to 5 kW contract load is net metering. Check your bill first.
West Bengal has more than one licensee, and the portal only processes your file under the company that bills you:
| Licensee | Where | PM Surya Ghar status |
|---|---|---|
| WBSEDCL (state utility) | Most of the state: north Bengal, the districts, suburbs and towns outside the CESC licence area | Open since 2026; state top-up launched 22 July 2026 |
| CESC (private) | Kolkata city and adjoining parts of Howrah, Hooghly and the 24 Parganas | Open since 2024; CESC runs its own grid-connectivity procedure |
| DPL / IPCL | Durgapur and Asansol industrial pockets | Check with the licensee; small domestic base |
Neighbouring streets in Howrah or the 24 Parganas can fall under different licensees, so go by the bill, not the postcode. If you are a CESC customer, the step-by-step is on our Kolkata page.
| System | Central (PM Surya Ghar) | West Bengal top-up | Total | SC/ST total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | ₹30,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹35,000 | ₹50,000 |
| 2 kW | ₹60,000 | ₹10,000 | ₹70,000 | ₹85,000 |
| 3 kW and above | ₹78,000 | ₹15,000 | ₹93,000 | ₹1,08,000 |
The central amount is paid into your bank account after commissioning and inspection, not deducted by the vendor. The state amounts were announced at the July launch; at the time of writing we had not seen a published notification setting out how the top-up is paid, so treat it as confirmed only once it shows on your own application. Compare states on our state top-up page.
There are two sets of paperwork, and different people check each:
One trap: WBSEDCL still hosts an older empanelled-vendor list from its 2021 rooftop programme. For PM Surya Ghar, the vendor must be registered on the national portal. Check there, not on a printout. More: how to verify an empanelled vendor.
So expect a meter-and-modem line of a few thousand rupees. A vendor quoting a large "WBSEDCL fee" on top should show you the quotation it came from.
| Contract load | Arrangement | Meters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kW to 5 kW | Net metering | One import/export (net) meter plus one generation meter |
| Above 5 kW | Net billing | Consumption meter plus two generation meters |
Your plant size cannot exceed your contract load, so a 2 kW connection cannot take a 3 kW plant without a load increase first. Exports are settled under the tariff order in force when you commission, and an exported unit is worth less than one you use as it is generated. Bengal's humid, hazy winters and long monsoon also mean lower output than western India, so size from 12 months of bills. More: net metering in India · generation per kW.
WBSEDCL domestic tariffs rise by slab, so the units solar replaces at the top of your bill are the expensive ones. With ₹93,000 off a 3 kW plant, homes using 250 units or more a month usually recover the rest within a few years. Homes using under about 150 units rarely do, because their avoided units are the cheapest ones. Prices: 2 kW · 3 kW. Paying the full price before the subsidy arrives? See rooftop solar loans.
An independent advisory: not WBSEDCL, not CESC, not WBREDA and not an installer. We don't file applications or sell panels. We read your bill and tell you whether rooftop solar pays: free bill check for West Bengal homes.
Yes. Until 2026 only CESC domestic consumers could claim it; the scheme was opened to WBSEDCL domestic consumers in 2026 and the state formally launched it on 22 July 2026. Register on pmsuryaghar.gov.in, choose West Bengal and WBSEDCL, and enter the consumer ID exactly as printed on your bill.
Central PM Surya Ghar subsidy of ₹30,000 for 1 kW, ₹60,000 for 2 kW and ₹78,000 for 3 kW or more, plus a West Bengal top-up announced at ₹5,000 per kW up to 3 kW. Totals: ₹35,000, ₹70,000 and ₹93,000. SC and ST households were promised a further ₹15,000. Confirm the state line appears on your own application before relying on it.
Aloshree was the earlier state scheme for WBSEDCL homes, with the same amounts as the central subsidy. Fresh Aloshree applications were halted in 2026 when PM Surya Ghar was opened to WBSEDCL. Pending Aloshree applicants have been told to apply again through the national PM Surya Ghar portal.
Under the government subsidy scheme the application fee is zero for domestic consumers. You still pay, through a WBSEDCL quotation, for the generation meter and its modem (the modem alone is listed at about ₹5,554.50), plus any alteration of service if your connection needs it. Homes with a contract load up to 5 kW get net metering; above 5 kW the arrangement is net billing with extra generation meters.
Related: West Bengal hub · Kolkata (CESC vs WBSEDCL) · State top-up subsidies · Net metering India · How to apply
