Guides

PuVVNL Net Metering in Gorakhpur, Step by Step

The actual process, from portal registration to your net meter switching on, with realistic timelines.

Who PuVVNL is

Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PuVVNL) is the DISCOM covering Gorakhpur and the wider eastern Uttar Pradesh region, one of five UPPCL distribution companies (alongside MVVNL, DVVNL, PVVNL and KESCO). Any rooftop solar system connected to the grid in Gorakhpur, meaning almost every installation, needs net metering approval from PuVVNL specifically, this isn't something UPNEDA or your installer can substitute for.

The two-portal confusion, cleared up

Most of the confusion homeowners have about this process comes from there being two separate systems involved, which look and feel like one process but aren't:

UPNEDA's portal (upnedasolarrooftopportal.com) is where you register for the subsidy and select your empanelled installer. This is the "subsidy side."
UPPCL's net metering portal is where the actual grid-connection application to PuVVNL happens, feasibility approval, inspection scheduling, and net meter installation. This is the "connection side."

In practice, your installer submits and tracks both on your behalf, that's part of what "subsidy assistance" should mean when a vendor offers it. But if you're doing anything yourself or just want to understand what's happening, knowing these are two different systems, not one, avoids a lot of confusion when someone asks "did you apply on the UPNEDA site" and you don't realise there's a separate DISCOM step.

The six steps, with realistic timelines

End to end, from application to your net meter switching on, typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. Here's where that time actually goes:

UPNEDA portal registration (your part, ~1 day). Register on upnedasolarrooftopportal.com, select your empanelled vendor, and confirm your system size and quotation.
Feasibility approval (~15-30 days). PuVVNL reviews your existing sanctioned load and grid connection to confirm the proposed system can be connected. This is usually the longest single step and the one most affected by DISCOM processing backlogs, not anything you can speed up beyond submitting complete paperwork the first time.
Installation (~7-15 days). Your installer mounts the panels, wires the inverter, and completes the electrical work at your premises. A straightforward 3kW residential rooftop is typically on the faster end of this range.
DISCOM inspection & Joint Commissioning Report (JCR) (~7-15 days). A PuVVNL representative inspects the completed installation on-site and signs the JCR jointly with your installer. This is a mandatory document, an incomplete or missing JCR is one of the more common causes of subsidy delay we covered in our subsidy rejection guide.
Net meter installation (~7-15 days). PuVVNL installs the bi-directional net meter that replaces or supplements your existing meter, this is what actually enables export credit.
Subsidy disbursement (~30-45 days after commissioning). Once net metering is live, your combined PM Surya Ghar and UPNEDA subsidy is paid by Direct Benefit Transfer to your bank account, not adjusted against the installer's invoice.

Documents you'll need

Recent electricity bill copy (confirms your consumer number and sanctioned load)
Identity and address proof matching the electricity connection holder's name
Bank account details for DBT (must match the applicant's name)
Grid clearance / net meter installation certificate (issued by PuVVNL after inspection)
Joint Commissioning Report (JCR), signed after installation
Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) report, confirming ALMM List-II compliant equipment

One genuinely useful exemption: systems up to 10kW are exempt from requiring a separate NOC from the State Electrical Inspector, which removes an otherwise slow step for the vast majority of residential installations.

How your exported units are actually settled

This is the part most homeowners never get a straight answer on. Within a billing cycle, the units you export during the day are netted against the units you draw at night, that's the "net" in net metering, and it's what makes your bill drop. But if you export more than you draw over a full financial year, that year-end surplus isn't credited at your normal retail tariff, it's settled at the APPC rate (Average Pooled Power Purchase Cost), typically around ₹3-4 per unit, considerably lower than the ₹5.50-7.00/unit residential tariff. This is exactly why correctly sizing your system to your actual consumption, not your roof's maximum capacity, matters more than most calculators make obvious: a system sized well beyond your usage exports at the lower true-up rate for units you're not around to consume, denting your payback math. Our solar calculator and a proper site visit both factor this in.

We handle both portals for you

UPNEDA registration, PuVVNL feasibility, JCR filing, inspection scheduling and net meter follow-up are all handled as part of every installation we do in Gorakhpur, at no separate charge.

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