CM Revanth’s village Konda Reddy Pally declared South India’s first solarised village

Konda Reddy Pally: The government has announced that the first solarised village in Southern India is Konda Reddy Pally in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana. It is the second in the country, after Modhera in Gujarat, to be completely solarised.

The use of renewable energy for rural electrification is important towards sustainable energy development.

CM’s native village

The initiative to solarise Konda Reddy Pally, the native village of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, was launched by the State Government, led by the Southern Telangana Power Distribution Company, to create a model for 100 per cent solar-powered habitation.

Minister Jupally Kirshna Rao, along with other Congress leaders, inaugurated the facility in the village.

Capacity and Investment

The extensive solarisation effort has equipped the village with a substantial 1,500 KW of installed solar capacity. The project covered 480 domestic services, each fitted with a 3 KW capacity system, along with 11 government services receiving a combined capacity of 60 KW.

The total expenditure for this ambitious project reached Rs 10.53 crores. This cost was strategically financed through a combination of public and private sector contributions:

- Rs. 7.96 crores was allocated directly for solarisation, with a Central Government subsidy of Rs 3.56 crores and crucial CSR Funds amounting to Rs 4.092 crores from Premier Energies.

- The remaining Rs 2.59 crores was utilised for essential infrastructure development.

360 units of electricity per month per home

Beyond environmental benefits, the project is a major economic boon for the villagers.

Each solar-equipped household is projected to produce around 360 units of electricity per month (120 units per KW). Through a net-metering system, consumers can export their surplus units (total generated minus consumed) back to the grid.

In a recent demonstration of the project’s success, the entire village exported approximately 1 lakh units to the grid in the month of September, generating an impressive revenue of nearly Rs 5 lakh for the community.

Residents earn at a rate of Rs 5.25 per unit supplied to the grid, a sustainable new income stream that significantly enhances the economic position of the consumers. This successful implementation solidifies Konda Reddy Pally’s position as a national standard for solar self-reliance and rural prosperity.

Project background

The project involved an extensive house-to-house survey to assess energy needs for the village’s approximately 1,451 electricity consumers, which include domestic, commercial and a significant number of agricultural users. The house-to-house survey was undertaken in September 2024.

The domestic connections were converted into solar in a span of six months.

This project shows that the rural electrification works with renewable energy can be met within a short time frame and the benefits of energy extended to those in these areas.