Net Metering Process in India: A Step-by-Step Guide for Solar Installers

For a rooftop solar installer in India, the installation itself is often the fast part. What actually determines how long a project takes to close is the net metering approval — the DISCOM (Distribution Company) process that lets a customer export surplus power to the grid and get billed on a net basis.

The process, broadly, has three stages: application, meter installation, and commissioning approval (Permission to Operate). Each state DISCOM runs its own portal and timeline, but the underlying steps are consistent enough to plan around.

Stage 1: Net metering application

After the system is designed and the customer has an electricity connection in their name, the installer (or customer) submits a net metering application to the DISCOM — usually through a state-specific online portal — along with the system layout, inverter specifications, and a copy of the electricity bill. Most states require this before installation begins, not after.

Stage 2: Site inspection and meter installation

Once the application is approved, the DISCOM (or an empanelled vendor) installs a bidirectional net meter that records both imported and exported units. Delays here are common — meters are often out of stock, or the DISCOM inspection queue is backed up in high-demand districts. This is the stage where a system with automated reminders pays for itself: a missed inspection slot can push commissioning back by weeks.

Stage 3: Permission to Operate (PTO)

After the meter is installed and verified, the DISCOM issues formal Permission to Operate, which is what actually authorizes the system to export power and start net billing. Only after PTO is issued should a system be considered "commissioned" for revenue and warranty purposes — not the day the panels went up.

• Track every application by DISCOM and by the specific stage it is in — application submitted, inspection scheduled, meter installed, PTO pending.
• Set automated reminders so no application sits unattended past a DISCOM's typical turnaround time.
• Keep scanned copies of the application acknowledgment, inspection report, and PTO certificate against each project record — these are frequently requested during subsidy disbursal.
• Never invoice the final milestone until PTO is confirmed; premature final billing is one of the most common causes of customer disputes.

Solset AI lets EPCs add custom project milestones for each DISCOM stage, with reminders that fire automatically when an application has been pending too long — so net metering delays get chased proactively instead of discovered when a customer calls asking why their subsidy has not arrived. See how this works for installers in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and other states on our India solar CRM page.