Surat MSMEs Protest Solar Power Curtailment, Seek DGVCL Action
SURAT : Surat’s push towards green energy has hit a roadblock, with MSME industrialists alleging that frequent curtailment of power generated by their captive solar plants is turning crores of...
SURAT : Surat’s push towards green energy has hit a roadblock, with MSME industrialists alleging that frequent curtailment of power generated by their captive solar plants is turning crores of investment into mounting losses. Angry over what they call policy and technical hurdles, members of Laghu Udyog Bharati and several industrialists approached the DGVCL office in Kapodra, demanding an immediate solution.
The industrialists claimed that 30%, 40% and at times as much as 60% of electricity generated by captive solar plants is being curtailed. They said that if a plant generates 100 units in a day, the system may stop around 50 units from being utilised, effectively wasting renewable energy generated during daylight hours.
They argued that the repeated curtailment is hurting the financial viability of projects while also undermining the broader objective of promoting clean energy.
Industrialist Brijesh Vithani said the situation had significantly affected their investment calculations.
“We invested crores of rupees with the vision of adopting green and renewable energy, but instead of seeing a positive impact, we are facing losses.” Vithani said the projects were initially expected to recover their investment within five years, but continued curtailment could stretch the period to more than 10 years.
Laghu Udyog Bharati submitted a detailed memorandum to the DGVCL managing director, seeking full acceptance of solar generation into the grid without curtailment.
The delegation demanded technical reforms and removal of policy hurdles to ensure uninterrupted utilisation of solar power.
The industrialists warned that unless the issue is resolved quickly, the economic viability of captive solar projects could come under serious pressure.
They urged DGVCL authorities to provide an assurance that the system would be reformed and solar power generated by MSME units would be fully accommodated, arguing that policy uncertainty could discourage further investment in renewable energy.
