Extend solar plants deadline by 6 months, suggests Crest

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Renewal Energy, Science and Technology Promotion Society (Crest), the nodal agency for installation of solar plants in Chandigarh, has proposed to extend deadline to install solar plants by six months.
Though the deadline for installing rooftop solar power plants at residential properties in Chandigarh expired on November 17, the CREST had decided to continue accepting the applications.A senior official of the administration said they have received the proposal and will take call in a day or two.
The administration, in a notification issued on May 18, 2016, had made installation of rooftop solar power plants mandatory in residential houses measuring 500 square yards and above and group housing societies. There are around 10,000 such houses in different parts of the city, including sectors 8 (417 houses), 11 (493 houses), 33 (643 houses), 35 (419 houses) and 36 (417 houses).
Till date, only 50% of houses have installed solar plants.
Earlier, the deadline was set for May 6, but was later extended to November 17.
The ministry of new and renewable energy had enhanced the city's solar power generation target from 50 megawatt (MW) to 69 MW, to be achieved by 2022, through net and gross metering. Local authorities are struggling to meet the target due to shortage of space in the city, which is spread in an area of just 114 sq km.
Crest has only managed to install a solar power plant with a capacity of 24MW in the past six years.
It will have to ensure generation of 45MW within four years to meet the target under the model solar city project. Those who fail to install solar power plants despite directions of the UT administration will be served notice by the UT estate office. Estate office is the custodian of all the buildings - both commercial and residential - in the city.