Mumbai housing society reduces electricity bill by 95%
The 11-storey building had been spending nearly ₹1.12 lakh every year for an average annual consumption of 11,774 units, which is about ₹9,000 per month and daily consumption of 32 units
Having spent more than Rs1 lakh every year on electricity bills till now, the Krishna Mahal cooperative housing society in Chembur has managed to save 95% of that cost with its 7.15 kilowatt-power (kWp) rooftop solar power plant.
The 11-storey building had been spending nearly ₹1.12 lakh every year for an average annual consumption of 11,774 units, which is about ₹9,000 per month and daily consumption of 32 units. For a comparison, a two bedroom kitchen apartment in Mumbai uses 8-10 units of electricity per day.
Installed in December, the rooftop solar project allowed the electricity bill to drop from ₹9,250 in December to Rs1,430 in January and ₹410 in February. HT has a copy of the electricity bills.
“A single unit of power costs every household ₹9.15; and larger the family, the more the consumption. We considered this and realised how our resources were being wasted,” said VG Krishnan, spokesperson of the society.
“Apart from carrying out waste composting and electronic waste recycling, this move will reduce dependency on coal.”
“The society spent ₹4.88 lakh for the project, which is expected to be recovered over the next four years,” said Animesh Manek, founder and director, Avishakti Rooftop Solar, the private company that installed the project.
The savings from the plant is equivalent to planting 344 teak trees in a lifetime, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Janaky Narayanan, another resident, said, “It’s our responsibility to leave a cleaner, better, and greener environment for the future generation.