Short answerA net meter records units you export to the grid and units you import from it. You pay only for the difference. In Telangana, TGSPDCL (south, including Hyderabad) and TGNPDCL (north, including Warangal and Khammam) install the bi-directional meter after inspecting your solar system.
How it works through a day
- Morning and afternoon: panels power your home first. Extra units flow out to the grid and the meter counts them as export.
- Evening and night: you draw from the grid and the meter counts import.
- Billing: import minus export is what you are charged for, plus fixed charges.
An example bill
| Solar generated in the month | 400 units |
| Used directly in daytime | 180 units |
| Exported to grid | 220 units |
| Imported at night | 250 units |
| Net units billed | 250 − 220 = 30 units |
Without solar, this home would have been billed for 430 units, mostly at the highest slab.
Application steps
- Feasibility approval from your DISCOM (filed through the PM Surya Ghar portal for homes).
- Installation by a registered vendor.
- Submission of plant details, test reports and photos.
- DISCOM inspection and installation of the bi-directional meter.
- Commissioning and synchronisation.
Sizing tip
Size the system to your yearly use, not your peak summer month. Surplus units at year end are settled at a low rate, so a system much larger than your use earns little extra.
Frequently asked questions
Which DISCOM handles my net meter?
TGSPDCL covers Hyderabad and the southern districts; TGNPDCL covers Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Adilabad, Nizamabad and the northern districts. Your bill shows which one serves you.
Will my bill become zero?
Energy charges can drop close to zero, but fixed charges, customer charges and duties usually remain. That is why we quote savings of up to 90–95% rather than 100%.
What happens to extra units I export?
Exported units are set off against units you import in the billing cycle. Settlement of any surplus is done at the rate and interval set by the Telangana regulator, which is much lower than the retail tariff, so it pays to size the system to your use.