- A net-metering feasibility approval has a validity window — it is not permanent.
- The window is often a few months to about a year, but it varies by DISCOM (verify).
- If you do not commission in time, the approval can lapse and your slot is released.
- On lapse you usually re-apply for feasibility, and the grid is re-checked.
- Validity periods are not always published — verify with your DISCOM/SERC circular.
An EPC's most painful loss is a job that had feasibility approval and let it expire. The grid slot goes back in the pool, the customer is angry, and you may re-apply into a queue that is now full. This guide explains net-metering feasibility approval validity so you never lose a project to the clock.
What feasibility approval validity is
Feasibility approval validity is the window during which a DISCOM's "yes, the grid can take your system" stays good. When the DISCOM approves technical feasibility, it confirms your sanctioned load and that the local transformer has room. That approval comes with a clock.
The reason is fairness. Transformer capacity is limited, so a DISCOM cannot hold a slot for one applicant forever while others wait. The validity window forces you to build and commission, or release the capacity. Treat the approval date as the start of a deadline, not the end of a task.
How long the approval lasts
How long a feasibility approval lasts depends entirely on your DISCOM and the state SERC. There is no single national number. The window is commonly a few months to about a year, but some DISCOMs use shorter periods, and some tie the clock to the agreement date rather than the approval date.
Why there is no national figure
Net-metering rules sit with each State Electricity Regulatory Commission and are run by each DISCOM. Validity periods are often buried in a circular or a portal note rather than the main regulation, and they change with amendments. So always verify the current validity period with your DISCOM or the SERC circular for the exact state before you plan a build schedule.
Validity and expiry timeline
The path from approval to lapse runs in clear stages. Use this timeline to see where the clock matters most. Every period shown is an estimate — verify the exact window with the DISCOM/SERC.
Feasibility approved
The DISCOM confirms your sanctioned load and the grid can take the system. The validity clock starts here.
Build & sign agreement
Sign the net-metering agreement and install the system. Most DISCOMs expect commissioning inside the validity window.
Push for meter & commissioning
Get the bidirectional meter installed, tested and sealed before the date. The window often closes at commissioning, not just install.
Approval lapses
If you have not commissioned, the feasibility approval can lapse. The DT slot you were given may be released to others.
Re-apply for feasibility
You usually re-submit the feasibility application. The grid is re-checked, so a slot that was free before may now be full.
Source: Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020 and DISCOM net-metering circulars. Validity windows are DISCOM-specific — verify with DISCOM/SERC.
What happens when it lapses
When a feasibility approval lapses, the approval is no longer valid and the transformer capacity you were allotted can be released to other applicants. The job does not move forward until you act.
The hidden cost: a full grid
The real risk is not the paperwork. It is that the distribution transformer that had room when you applied may have filled up while you waited. States cap how much rooftop solar a transformer can carry — a figure of around 30% is commonly cited, but it varies, so verify it. If the slot is gone, your re-application can be cut down or refused until the grid is upgraded. Our sanctioned but not energized guide covers the related stall.
How to re-apply without starting over
If feasibility lapses, you usually re-submit the feasibility application rather than redo every step from the start. The DISCOM re-checks the grid and may revise your sanctioned capacity, but your earlier documents are often still usable.
The re-apply checklist
- Re-submit the feasibility application with current documents.
- Refresh expired papers — a lapsed contractor licence or old datasheet can bounce the file.
- Confirm the grid still has room before you re-quote the customer.
- Ask whether your old reference number can be reused — some DISCOMs allow it.
- Check if load enhancement changed the picture since your first approval.
The exact re-apply path varies by DISCOM, so confirm it for the state before you promise the customer a quick turnaround.
How to avoid a lapse
The best fix is never letting a job reach expiry. Most lapses come from losing track of the date across many parallel projects.
- Record the approval date and validity window the day approval lands.
- Work backwards from the expiry to set install and meter dates.
- Treat the meter step as the bottleneck — DISCOM meter installs can be slow.
- Chase commissioning, not just install — the window often closes at commissioning.
- Set an internal alert well before the date, not on it.
Can you get an extension?
Some DISCOMs allow an extension if you apply before the approval expires and can show real progress; others require a fresh application. There is no single national rule. If your DISCOM offers extensions, apply early and in writing — a request sent after expiry rarely works.
Because extension policy varies, confirm whether your DISCOM offers one at all before you rely on it. Build the project as if there is no extension, and treat any extension as a bonus, not a plan.
Why the clock can run before you even start
A common trap is treating the approval date as the day you begin work. In practice, much of the window can vanish on steps you do not control. The customer may take weeks to pay the advance. The roof may need repair before mounting. The agreement may sit waiting for a signature.
Plan from the expiry date backwards, not the approval date forwards. Decide the last safe day to start the meter request, then the last safe day to finish the install, then the last safe day to sign the agreement. If any of those dates has already passed when approval lands, raise the alarm with the customer at once rather than near the deadline.
Keep a paper trail while you wait
If a DISCOM delay — not your delay — eats into the validity window, your record of chasing matters. Save every email, portal ticket and meter request with its date. When you ask for an extension or re-apply, that trail shows the holdup was on the DISCOM side, which can help your case. The delay and escalation guide covers how to push a stuck file. Never let a DISCOM delay quietly become your missed deadline.
How SuryaHub helps you beat the clock
Lapses happen because dates get lost across dozens of live jobs. SuryaHub records each feasibility approval and its expiry per project, and runs the work from lead through the DISCOM and net-metering steps in one place, so you see which jobs must commission before they lapse. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; its only real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and validity figures here are estimates to verify with your DISCOM.
Never miss an expiry again
See how SuryaHub tracks feasibility dates and DISCOM steps per job.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How long is a net-metering feasibility approval valid?+
A net-metering feasibility approval is usually valid for a fixed window after it is issued, often a few months to about a year. The exact period is set by your DISCOM or the state SERC circular and is not always published. Verify the current validity period with your DISCOM before you plan the build.
What happens when a feasibility approval expires?+
When a net-metering feasibility approval expires, the approval lapses and the transformer capacity you were allotted can be released to other applicants. You usually have to re-apply for feasibility, and the grid is re-checked, so a slot that was free before may now be full. Verify the lapse rule with your DISCOM.
Do I have to start the whole net-metering process over if approval lapses?+
Not always. If feasibility lapses, you usually re-submit the feasibility application rather than redo every earlier step, but the DISCOM re-checks the grid and may revise your sanctioned capacity. Some DISCOMs allow a fresh application quickly. Confirm the re-apply path with your DISCOM, because the rule varies.
Can I get an extension on a net-metering feasibility approval?+
Some DISCOMs allow an extension if you apply before the approval expires and show genuine progress, while others require a fresh application. There is no single national rule. Apply for any extension early and in writing, and verify whether your DISCOM offers extensions at all before you rely on one.
How does SuryaHub help track feasibility validity?+
SuryaHub tracks each feasibility approval date and its expiry per project, so an EPC sees which jobs must commission before they lapse. SuryaHub is pre-revenue, and its only real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL. Validity periods are DISCOM-specific, so figures here are estimates to verify.
Sources & references
Connection timelines and the feasibility process come from primary government sources. Validity windows are DISCOM-specific and change with each circular, so always confirm the current period with your DISCOM and the SERC before you plan a build.
- Ministry of Power ↗
Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020 and grid-connection timelines.
- National Portal for PM Surya Ghar ↗
Feasibility and net-metering process for rooftop solar.
- Central Electricity Authority (CEA) ↗
Technical standards for grid connection.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against MoP, National Portal & CEA sources · updated 19 June 2026.
Method: Process and timeline rules are taken from the government sources above and re-checked every 30 days. Validity windows are DISCOM-specific estimates presented as ranges — verify with your DISCOM/SERC. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 19 Jun 2026 — first published.