TN farmers with solar pumps won’t get free electricity
According to a TNPDCL circular dated April 8, 2025, TNPDCL has directed that farmers who have installed such solar pumps—either independently or with subsidy assistance from government agencies—will not be eligible for new agricultural service connections under the subsidised LT Tariff IV.
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CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) has issued new guidelines restricting electricity connections for farmers already using off-grid, standalone solar-powered pumps.
According to a TNPDCL circular dated April 8, 2025, TNPDCL has directed that farmers who have installed such solar pumps—either independently or with subsidy assistance from government agencies—will not be eligible for new agricultural service connections under the subsidised LT Tariff IV.
These farmers, however, may opt for a paid cottage and tiny industries service connection, provided they submit an undertaking that they will not seek subsidised connections in the future. The decision has drawn criticism from experts.
P Muthusamy, former director of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC), strongly condemned the move. “As mandated by Section 43 of the Electricity Act, 2003, TNPDCL is obligated to provide electricity supply upon application by an occupier. TNPDCL has no authority to deny agricultural connections outright,” he said.
He further argued that TNERC has the power to determine the periodicity of supply but not to deny it completely. “It is unjust to penalise a farmer who, due to long waiting periods for free power, chooses to farm using solar or oil engine pumps. Denying service on this basis is a gross injustice.”
Muthusamy also criticised the clause that blocks farmers from converting their paid LT 3A(1) connections to free LT Tariff IV supply once their application seniority is due. “This is a clear violation of the current TNERC tariff order, which permits such conversion. TNPDCL cannot make such arbitrary decisions without regulatory approval,” he added.
After the DMK government came to power, it effected a record number of one lakh agricultural connections in 2021-22 and 50,000 connections each in 2022-23 and 2023-24. It is targeted to provide 15,000 connections in 2024-25. However, in the 10 years of the AIADMK government from 2011 to 2021, it has given only 2.21 lakh agricultural power connections. With the provision of two lakh connections, TNPDCL has brought down the total number of waitlisted farmers from 4.52 lakh in March 2021 to over 2.5 lakh as of now, said sources.
