Official guidance, Tamil Nadu land law
G.O. (Ms.) No. 17, Mandatory Solar Energy Systems for Certain Buildings, 2016
The Housing and Urban Development [UD4(3)] Department issued Government Order (Ms.) Number 17, dated 5 February 2016, making solar energy systems mandatory prospectively for Special Buildings, Group Developments and Multi-Storeyed Buildings under the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the Director of Town and Country Planning. It varies the applicable development regulations and requires completion certification after solar photovoltaic panels are installed.
What the order does
Government Order (Ms.) Number 17, dated 5 February 2016, issued by the Housing and Urban Development [UD4(3)] Department, introduces a prospective requirement for solar energy systems in all Special Buildings, Group Developments and Multi-Storeyed Buildings under the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the Director of Town and Country Planning. It varies the Development Regulations for the Second Master Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Area, 2026 and the Development Control Regulations for specified local planning areas.
Who is affected
The solar requirement applies to buildings in the listed categories within the jurisdictions of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the Director of Town and Country Planning. It is relevant to owners, developers and buyers of:
- Special Buildings.
- Group Developments.
- Multi-Storeyed Buildings.
The variations cover Chennai Metropolitan Area and the local planning areas of Erode, Vellore, Tiruvallur, Coimbatore, Madurai, Gummidipoondi, Kancheepuram, Salem, Chengalpattu, Tirupur, Tiruchirappalli and Mamallapuram. The regulation must also be followed in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi and will form part of the Master Plans to be approved for those local planning areas.
Main requirements
Government Order (Ms.) Number 17 sets the following conditions:
- At least one third of the total terrace area must be reserved for solar photovoltaic panels.
- The approximate space needed to generate 1 KW of electricity is 10 square metres.
- In multi-ownership buildings, the generated electricity must serve common requirements such as staircase lights, setback lights, lifts, pumps and non-floor space index areas.
- In single-ownership buildings, the generated electricity may be used for all purposes.
- Tamil Nadu Energy Regulatory Commission net metering guidelines apply to the installations.
Completion certificate and electricity connection
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the relevant local planning authority must verify the actual erection of solar photovoltaic panels. A completion certificate can be issued only after the panels have been erected.
The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited will provide a net metering service connection only after the building has obtained that completion certificate. Buyers and owners of affected buildings may therefore need to confirm that the required panels were installed and certified.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does the solar panel requirement apply to every building?
No. Government Order (Ms.) Number 17 applies prospectively to Special Buildings, Group Developments and Multi-Storeyed Buildings under the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the Director of Town and Country Planning.
How much terrace space must be kept for solar panels?
A minimum of one third of the total terrace area must be reserved for solar photovoltaic panels.
Can an affected building get a completion certificate before installing the panels?
No. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority or the relevant local planning authority must issue the completion certificate only after the solar photovoltaic panels are erected.
What can the solar electricity be used for in an apartment building?
In a multi-ownership building, it must be used for common requirements such as staircase lights, setback lights, lifts, pumps and non-floor space index areas.
