- The Rights of Consumers Rules 2020 give prosumers a right to net/gross metering.
- Deemed feasibility ≤10 kW skips the separate study (verify current central rule).
- The Rules set timelines a DISCOM must meet — useful leverage when one stalls.
- States adopt and amend the Rules differently — verify your state notification.
- Use a timestamped record to escalate through the CGRF and ombudsman.
The Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020 are the most underused tool in an EPC's kit. They give your client a right to net metering and set deadlines a DISCOM must meet — including deemed feasibility for systems up to 10 kW. Used well, they turn a stalled application into an approved one.
What the Rights of Consumers Rules cover
The Rights of Consumers Rules 2020 are central rules from the Ministry of Power that set service standards for every power consumer. Among many things, they give a prosumer — a consumer who also generates — the right to net or gross metering for rooftop solar.
For an EPC, the value is twofold. First, the Rules confirm net metering is a right, not a favour. Second, they set timelines the DISCOM must follow, which you can cite when an application drags. Each state then adopts and amends these rules through its own notification, so the headline right is national but the exact figures are local.
Deemed feasibility for systems up to 10 kW
Deemed feasibility means small rooftop systems are treated as technically feasible by default, so the DISCOM does not need a separate feasibility study before approving them. The commonly cited threshold is 10 kW, and it removes a whole step for most residential jobs.
Here is the honest caveat: the 10 kW threshold is the central rule, but it was debated and amended between 2024 and 2026. Treat it as a verify-current figure. Confirm the current central rule with the Ministry of Power and your state notification before you promise a client a study-free approval. Do not state the number as fixed.
Why deemed feasibility speeds up small jobs
When a system is deemed feasible, the DISCOM cannot reject it on feasibility grounds for the usual transformer-loading reasons within the threshold. That cuts days or weeks from the timeline. For a residential EPC running volume, this is the difference between a smooth queue and a backed-up one. See our full net metering process guide for where this fits.
The timelines you can cite
The timelines you can cite are the heart of the leverage. The Rules set a fixed window for the DISCOM to decide feasibility, and a further window to install the net meter after the agreement. When a DISCOM blows past either, you have grounds to escalate.
We will not print a hard number of days here, because each state sets its own through its notification, and those windows change. Pull the current window from your state's adoption of the Rules and the DISCOM operating procedure. Some states even pay the consumer compensation for a missed deadline — verify the amount and whether it applies in your state.
Rule tracker — verify each line
Use this tracker to see what is a right and what is a local figure. Confirm each line against your state notification before you cite it to a DISCOM.
Caption: Central rights versus local figures. Source: MoP Rights of Consumers Rules 2020 + state notifications — re-verify every 30 days.
Using the Rules as polite leverage
You use the Rules as leverage by referencing them calmly, in writing, with dates. A DISCOM officer responds better to a clear note that cites the consumer's right and the missed timeline than to a complaint with no facts. Keep the tone professional and the record clean.
- State the right. Note that the consumer has a right to net metering under the Rights of Consumers Rules.
- Show the deemed feasibility. For a system within the threshold, point out that a separate study is not required (verify current).
- Quote the timeline. Reference your state's window and the date it was missed.
- Ask for action, not a fight. Request the next step with a date, and copy the record.
Why state adoption varies
State adoption varies because the Rights of Consumers Rules are central, but the states run the distribution networks. Each state notifies its own version, sets its own timelines, and decides whether to pay compensation for delays. So the right is broad and shared, while the numbers are local and changeable.
This is why you cannot quote one figure across DISCOMs. If you work in more than one state, keep a short rule sheet per state, and check it before you cite a deadline. Our multi-state operating playbook gives a framework for tracking these differences without confusion.
When a DISCOM misses a deadline
When a DISCOM misses a deadline, the path is escalation through the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF) and then the electricity ombudsman. The Rights of Consumers Rules give the consumer standing, and your timestamped record gives the evidence.
Build the record from day one
Start the clock when you file. Save the application acknowledgement, the feasibility date, the agreement date, and every DISCOM message. When a window is missed, you can show exactly when and by how long. Our guide on delay and rejection escalation walks the CGRF route in detail.
How SuryaHub helps you hold the timeline
SuryaHub timestamps each net metering step inside one government-workflow record, so you know the exact day a DISCOM deadline was missed and have the proof to escalate. Run the job from application to commissioning in one place, and the deemed-feasibility shortcut and the timelines become part of your process, not a memory. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and every timeline here is a verify-current figure, not a guarantee.
Hold every DISCOM to its timeline
See how SuryaHub timestamps each step and flags a missed deadline.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What are the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020?+
The Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020 are central rules from the Ministry of Power that set service standards for power consumers, including the right to net or gross metering for rooftop solar. They give prosumers timelines and protections. Verify how your state has adopted and amended these rules.
What is deemed feasibility for net metering?+
Deemed feasibility means small rooftop systems, commonly up to 10 kW, are treated as technically feasible by default, so the DISCOM does not need a separate feasibility study. This speeds up approval. The 10 kW threshold is the central rule but was debated in 2024 to 2026, so verify the current central rule.
Is the 10 kW deemed feasibility limit still current?+
The 10 kW limit is the commonly cited central rule, but it was debated and amended between 2024 and 2026, so it can change. Treat 10 kW as a verify-current figure, not a fixed fact. Confirm the current central rule with the Ministry of Power and your state notification before you rely on it.
Can an EPC use the Rules to push a delayed net metering application?+
Yes. The Rights of Consumers Rules set timelines for feasibility and meter installation, and a consumer can cite a missed deadline when escalating. Some states pay compensation for delays. Verify the current timeline and compensation in your state notification, then escalate through the CGRF if a DISCOM misses it.
Do all states follow the Rights of Consumers Rules the same way?+
No. The Rights of Consumers Rules are central, but each state adopts and amends them through its own notification, so timelines and compensation differ. The right to net metering is broad, but the exact figures vary. Verify the applicable state notification before you quote rights or timelines to a client.
How does SuryaHub help EPCs use these consumer rights?+
SuryaHub timestamps each net metering step, so you know the exact day a DISCOM deadline was missed and have the record to escalate. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and every timeline here is a verify-current figure, not a guarantee.
Sources & references
The Rules and the deemed-feasibility threshold come from primary government sources. State adoption and compensation amounts vary, so verify the applicable state notification before you quote any right or timeline.
- Ministry of Power (MoP) ↗
Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020 and amendments.
- Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) ↗
Rooftop solar scheme guidelines.
- Central Electricity Authority (CEA) ↗
Technical and metering standards.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against MoP / MNRE / SERC sources · updated 19 June 2026.
Method: High-refresh page. Rights, timelines and the ≤10 kW deemed-feasibility threshold are taken from primary sources and re-verified every 30 days against MoP/MNRE/SERC. The ≤10 kW threshold and any 2024–2026 amendment must be checked as the current central rule. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 19 Jun 2026 — first published.