Odisha Climbs to 7th Nationally in Rooftop Solar, Emerges as a Model for PM Surya Ghar Adoption
State crosses 1.5 lakh installations as strong subsidies, Tata Power-led Odisha Discoms execution and grassroots mobilisation accelerate household solar adoption
Bhubaneswar, 17 August 2026: Odisha has emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing rooftop solar markets, climbing from 13th to 7th position nationally in rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, according to data available on the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) portal. The State has crossed the landmark 1.5 lakh installation milestone, with ~1.74 lakh rooftop solar systems installed, reflecting the rapid acceleration of residential solar adoption across Odisha. The State has also crossed 3.1 lakh applications, with 3,12,527 applications received under the scheme.
Odisha’s rise in the national ranking comes as the State combines strong government financial support, utility-led execution, an expanding vendor ecosystem, consumer facilitation and sustained grassroots mobilisation to convert consumer interest into rooftop solar installations. The State has moved ahead of Madhya Pradesh and Assam, reinforcing Odisha’s emergence as a significant contributor to India’s decentralised clean-energy transition.
Odisha’s rooftop solar programme has witnessed sharp acceleration in recent months. Applications have increased from 1,95,513 to 3,12,527, while installations have risen from 72,538 to ~1.74 lakh. This represents approximately 60% growth in applications and more than 130% growth in installations, while the application-to-installation conversion has improved from 37.1% to 53.4%. The improvement reflects strengthening capacity across the customer journey, from application and approvals to installation, inspection, metering and commissioning.
A major driver of adoption has been the State’s additional financial support over and above the Central subsidy available under PM Surya Ghar. Eligible residential consumers can receive combined Central and State assistance of up to ₹1.38 lakh for a 3 kWp rooftop solar system, subject to applicable capacity, consumer category and scheme guidelines.
Odisha has set an ambitious target of 3 lakh rooftop solar installations by 2027. The strong subsidy proposition, combined with increasingly streamlined implementation, is helping make rooftop solar more accessible to households across urban, rural and semi-urban areas.
At the implementation level, the four discoms—TPCODL, TPWODL, TPNODL and TPSODL—have played a pivotal role in accelerating rooftop solar adoption across the State. Together, the discoms have facilitated ~1.74 lakh rooftop solar installations across their respective service areas. TPCODL has facilitated 56,842 installations, TPWODL 48,905, TPNODL 44,785 and TPSODL 23,881 installations.
Odisha Discoms have moved beyond their conventional role as electricity distributors to become consumer-facing enablers of rooftop solar, facilitating net meters, inspections and commissioning, vendor registration and management, consumer handholding and coordination across departments and ecosystem partners. They have also supported solarisation of government buildings and undertaken extensive consumer awareness activities.
Tata Power-led Odisha Discoms have further strengthened consumer engagement through the “Mo Chhata, Mo Sanchaya” campaign, highlighting the benefits of rooftop solar, including reduced electricity expenditure and long-term household savings. The campaign is being supported through Surya Ghar Gram Sabhas at the Gram Panchayat level, with engagement involving sarpanches, block-level officials, community leaders and citizens. The Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities are being carried out in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Government of Odisha, ensuring consistent outreach across the State.
TPCODL has also launched a dedicated mobile consumer outreach initiative ‘Solar Rath’ to accelerate awareness and adoption of rooftop solar under PM Surya Ghar, particularly through the Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model. The initiative is taking information and handholding directly to communities and supporting adoption in emerging and underserved markets.
The Solar Didi initiative, being implemented by Tata Power Skill Development Institute (TPSDI), is adding another important dimension to Odisha’s rooftop solar journey by placing women at the centre of grassroots clean-energy mobilisation. Through structured training in rooftop solar installation and maintenance, Solar Didis are being equipped to serve as grassroots ambassadors, creating awareness, addressing consumer queries and encouraging households to adopt clean-energy solutions.
Odisha’s approach is therefore increasingly centred on an end-to-end consumer ecosystem, combining attractive subsidies, utility-led facilitation, vendor coordination, net-metering support, ULA-based outreach, community mobilisation and women-led awareness. This is helping make rooftop solar a practical and increasingly accessible household energy solution.
The State’s progress is also broad-based. Baleshwar, Ganjam, Khordha and Cuttack have each crossed the 10,000-installation milestone. Baleshwar leads with 16,069 installations, followed by Ganjam with 15,301, Khordha with 14,236 and Cuttack with 13,343 installations. Together, the four districts account for approximately 143 MWp of rooftop solar capacity, highlighting their significant contribution to Odisha’s clean-energy transition.
The latest milestone reinforces Odisha’s growing leadership in rooftop solar deployment. With 3,12,527 applications, 1.74 lakh commissioned installations and 410 MWp of rooftop solar capacity, the State has a strong foundation for continued growth, while the Government’s subsidy support and the continued efforts of the four discoms are helping deepen adoption across rural, semi-urban and underserved markets.
Mr. Gajanan Kale, Chief- Odisha Distribution Business, Tata Power, said: “Odisha’s rise from 13th to 7th position nationally and the achievement of more than 1.5 lakh rooftop solar installations are a strong testament to the growing confidence of consumers in clean energy. The attractive subsidy support provided by the Government of Odisha, combined with the Central assistance under PM Surya Ghar, has created a compelling proposition for households. We are focused on ensuring that this demand translates into installations through strong last-mile execution, consumer facilitation, net-metering support, vendor coordination and grassroots engagement. Through initiatives such as ‘Mo Chhata, Mo Sanchaya’, Surya Ghar Gram Sabhas, ULA-based outreach and Solar Didi, we are working to make rooftop solar simpler, more accessible and more relevant to households across Odisha.”
Odisha’s movement from 13th to 7th position nationally, crossing 1.5 lakh installations and reaching 1.74 lakh commissioned systems with 410 MWp of rooftop solar capacity, marks a significant phase in the State’s clean-energy journey. The achievement demonstrates how strong policy support, attractive consumer economics and utility-led execution can work together to accelerate distributed renewable energy at scale.
With the Government of Odisha creating a strong financial proposition and Tata Power-led Odisha Discoms taking the programme to consumers through execution, facilitation and grassroots mobilisation, Odisha is emerging as a strong model for how rooftop solar can move from a government scheme to a mass household clean-energy movement.
| Odisha Discoms | Rooftop Solar Installations |
| TPCODL | 56,842 |
| TPWODL | 48,905 |
| TPNODL | 44,785 |
| TPSODL | 23,881 |
| Total | 1,73,413 |
