- "Sanctioned but not energized" means the connection is approved but not yet live on the grid.
- The usual hold-up is the bidirectional meter not installed or sealed.
- The last step is the DISCOM's permission to operate / commissioning approval.
- Find which step is stuck, chase it in writing, and escalate past the Supply Code timeline.
- Whether energizing before formal permission to operate is penalized varies by Supply Code — verify per state before asserting it is a violation.
This is one of the most frustrating points in a net-metering job. The panels are on the roof, the DISCOM has issued a sanction, and the customer asks why the system is still not saving them money. Sanctioned but not energized means the approval is done but the final steps to go live are not — and those steps are usually chaseable.
What the sanctioned-but-not-energized stage is
Sanctioned but not energized is the gap between the DISCOM approving your net-metering connection and the system actually exporting to the grid. The sanction letter is permission for the connection; it is not the same as the system being live. Several steps sit between the two.
Until those steps close, the meter does not net, the customer sees no benefit, and the EPC carries an open job. The good news is that this stage is almost always a process delay, not a rejection — so the fix is to find the one step that is stuck and push it.
The steps still pending after sanction
After sanction, a net-metering job usually still needs some of these steps before it can be energized. Work through them to find where yours is stuck:
- Meter installation — the bidirectional meter fitted at site.
- Meter testing and sealing — the meter calibrated, tested and sealed.
- Joint inspection close-out — the inspection report filed and any snag cleared.
- Net-metering agreement — signed, stamped and lodged.
- Fees or deposits — any outstanding charge cleared in the system.
- Permission to operate — the DISCOM's final go-ahead to energize.
Most stuck jobs are blocked on just one of these. The timelines-by-state guide shows what the official clock should be for each step, which tells you when a delay is genuinely late.
Causes and fixes table
This table maps each likely block to its cause and the action that clears it. Treat timelines and escalation tiers as illustrative — the Supply Code clock and the grievance forum differ by state, so verify per state.
Source: built from MoP Rights of Consumers Rules, the National Portal workflow and state Supply Code procedures. Illustrative — Supply Code timelines and the grievance forum differ by state. Verify per state.
When the meter is the hold-up
The most common reason a sanctioned job stays un-energized is the bidirectional meter. Either it has not been installed, or it is installed but not yet tested and sealed. Without a sealed net meter, the connection cannot go live, because there is nothing to record the export.
If the meter is missing, follow up in writing and ask the DISCOM for an install date. If it is on the wall but not sealed, request the testing and sealing visit. The meter-not-installed guide and the testing and sealing guide cover each of these blocks in detail.
The permission to operate
The permission to operate — sometimes called the commissioning certificate or the go-live approval — is the DISCOM's final formal sign-off that the system may export. Until it is issued, the connection is not energized even if everything else is done.
If every other step is closed and you are only waiting on this, chase the permission to operate directly, quoting the application number and the dates each prior step was completed. A clean, complete file with no open snags is what lets the DISCOM issue it quickly.
Should you switch it on yourself?
It is tempting to just turn the system on while you wait. Do not assume that is allowed. A grid-tied system that exports before the permission to operate can breach the Supply Code, and an un-sealed meter will not record the export correctly anyway.
Whether energizing before formal permission to operate is actually penalized varies by state Supply Code, so verify the rule for your state before you do it — do not assume it is, or is not, a violation. The safe path is to wait for the DISCOM go- ahead and push hard to get it issued, rather than self-energizing and risking a penalty.
How to escalate the delay
When a step runs past its timeline, escalate in steps. Start with a written follow-up to the DISCOM that quotes the application number, the date of sanction, and the Supply Code timeline you believe has been missed. Keep it factual and dated.
If the DISCOM does not act, raise it with the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF), and then the Electricity Ombudsman if needed. Confirm the CGRF is the correct current escalation tier for your state first. The delay, rejection and CGRF guide walks through the full escalation path.
How to prevent it on the next job
The best fix is to not get stuck at all. After every sanction, immediately confirm the next required step and book it — do not wait for the DISCOM to prompt you. Track each step against the Supply Code clock so you raise a follow-up the day a deadline passes, not weeks later.
Keep the file complete: a signed agreement, paid fees, a closed inspection and a ready SLD mean the DISCOM has no reason to hold the permission to operate. The jobs that energize fast are the ones with nothing missing.
How SuryaHub helps you get jobs energized
Un-energized sanctioned jobs are a tracking failure — a step nobody chased. SuryaHub runs each net-metering job through every step after sanction in its government-workflow tracker, flags the one that is stuck, and keeps dated follow-ups and documents ready for escalation. So a sanctioned job does not sit silently un-energized while the customer waits. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and timelines and escalation tiers here must be verified per state.
Never let a sanctioned job stall
See how SuryaHub tracks every step from sanction to go-live.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What does sanctioned but not energized mean for net metering?+
Sanctioned but not energized means the DISCOM has approved the net-metering connection but the system is not yet live on the grid. Steps like meter installation, testing and sealing, the joint inspection close-out, or the permission to operate are still pending. The system cannot export until these final steps are done.
Why is my solar approved but not connected?+
Solar can be approved but not connected because the bidirectional meter is not installed or sealed, the joint inspection is not closed, the agreement is unsigned, or the permission to operate is pending. Identify which step is stuck, chase it in writing with the application number, and escalate if it passes the Supply Code timeline.
Can I switch on my solar system before permission to operate?+
You should not switch on a grid-tied solar system before the permission to operate, because exporting without formal go-ahead can breach the Supply Code. Whether energizing early is penalized varies by state Supply Code, so verify per state before doing it. Wait for the DISCOM commissioning approval to be safe.
How long should energization take after net-metering sanction?+
Energization after sanction should follow the timeline in the state Supply Code, often a set number of days for the meter and connection once the file is complete. The exact clock varies by state and changes, so verify the current timeline with your DISCOM, and escalate if the connection runs well past it.
Where do I escalate a net-metering energization delay?+
Escalate a net-metering energization delay first with a written follow-up to the DISCOM, quoting the application number and the Supply Code timeline. If it is not resolved, take it to the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF), then the Electricity Ombudsman. Confirm the CGRF is the correct current tier for your state.
How does SuryaHub help with energization delays?+
SuryaHub tracks each net-metering job through every step after sanction, flags the one that is stuck, and keeps the dated follow-ups and documents ready for escalation. This stops a sanctioned job from sitting un-energized. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL.
Sources & references
Connection timelines, the workflow and grievance rules come from the Rights of Consumers Rules, the National Portal and each state's Supply Code. Always confirm the current timeline and escalation tier with your DISCOM.
- Ministry of Power ↗
Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules and connection timelines.
- National Portal for PM Surya Ghar ↗
Status tracking and the rooftop solar workflow.
- State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (e.g. MERC) ↗
Supply Code timelines and grievance (CGRF) procedure.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against MoP, National Portal & SERC sources · updated 19 June 2026.
Method: Steps and fixes are taken from the Rights of Consumers Rules, the National Portal workflow and state Supply Code procedures, re-checked every 30 days. Timelines and escalation tiers differ by state — verify per state, and confirm whether early energizing is penalized in your Supply Code. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 19 Jun 2026 — first published.