The dream of a zero electricity bill has instead delivered a rude shock to thousands of residents who invested lakhs of rupees in rooftop solar systems.
Several consumers alleged they were hit with unexpectedly high electricity bills running into thousands of rupees.
Many said neither the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) nor solar vendors have provided satisfactory explanations.
According to consumers, they received zero or negligible bills for several months after installing rooftop solar systems. However, their monthly import units suddenly surged even though solar generation remained consistent.
Mirza Ghazanfar Baig of Ashirwad Nagar, who installed a 3.3kW rooftop solar system, said the joy of going solar was short-lived.
He initially received a bill because the vendor failed to activate the export connection. Although the issue was later rectified, he was subsequently hit with a hefty electricity bill.
“For three months I received zero bills. Then suddenly I received a bill of Rs10,000 in June. I was shocked and felt cheated. I approached both the discom and the solar vendor, but did not get a satisfactory reply,” said Baig.
According to him, his MSEDCL bills showed import units rising from 233 in April to 490 in May and 736 in June, even though his solar system consistently generated 450-500 units every month.
“My consumption increased multifold in just three months after installation of smart meter,” he said.
A similar pattern was reported by a Narendra Nagar resident who installed a 3.3kW rooftop system in July last year.
Between August 2025 and March 2026, his monthly import ranged from 70 to 250 units. It jumped to 453 units in April and 725 units in May despite solar generation remaining between 430 and 500 units.
“I received a Rs5,000 bill in May and another Rs6,200 bill in June,” the consumer said.
A Godhani resident also reported receiving bills of Rs2,400 in April and Rs4,500 in May despite claiming that both he and his wife are away at work throughout the day.
“I filed an online complaint and later visited the MSEDCL office. After that, I received a message stating that my bill had turned negative. It is clear harassment. Why should MSEDCL send inflated bills and then force consumers to visit its offices?” he said.
The complaints have also put solar installation companies under pressure, with consumers seeking answers from vendors.
“A client in Pratap Nagar received a Rs12,000 bill despite having a 5kW system installed, while another in Narendra Nagar was billed for 800 units even though his average monthly consumption before installing solar was around 400 units.
Complaints have increased significantly after MSEDCL installed smart meters.
We have sent some meters for testing, and the results are awaited,” said Arun Kanire, a solar vendor with over a decade of experience.
Responding to the complaints, MSEDCL chief PRO Bharat Pawar said only a small percentage of consumers had reported such issues.
“Many higher bills are due to increased electricity consumption during the summer. However, some complaints are genuine. Consumers who believe their bills do not reflect their actual consumption should approach our offices,” Pawar said.
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