Energy is the cornerstone of development, and with rapid urbanization and rising per capita consumption, the demand for electricity in urban centers like Gurgaon has surged dramatically. As Haryana’s financial capital and one of its fastest-growing cities, Gurgaon’s energy needs and consumption patterns are unique and complex.
Electricity in Gurgaon is supplied by the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), a state-owned utility that services 12 districts across the region. Among them, Gurgaon holds special significance:

• Accounts for one-third of DHBVN’s total power load
• Contributes over 40% of DHBVN’s revenue
• Hosts a large proportion of residential and commercial consumers with comparatively low agricultural demand

The city’s peak electricity demand stands at approximately 1700 MW. Residential consumers pay an average tariff of Rs 7.6 per unit, and the bill collection efficiency is 100%, indicating a highly compliant and paying customer base.

A decade ago, frequent power outages, particularly in the summer months, were a major concern. These were attributed to:

• Inadequate power supply
• Ageing transmission and distribution (T&D) infrastructure
• Faulty feeders, transformers, substations, and poles

However, several targeted initiatives have transformed Gurgaon’s power reliability:

• Feeder bifurcation completed in the New Gurgaon circle (400+ feeders out of 900 total)
• Installation of 100 km of new low-tension cables and 150 new transformers (200 kVA each)
• Reduced Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses to under 10%
• Launch of smart meters and IT-based interventions for better service delivery

Since 2016, DHBVN has been implementing a Smart Grid Project aimed at improving energy reliability and reducing faults:

• 1,000 km of overhead Aerial Bundle cables being replaced by underground cables
• Introduction of SCADA-enabled equipment for remote monitoring and control
• Ring system substations that ensure power continuity even if one line fails

These upgrades have significantly boosted Gurgaon’s resilience to outages and strengthened its energy infrastructure.

To manage power cuts, Gurgaon continues to rely heavily on diesel generator (DG) sets, with a total installed capacity of 2,000 MW:

• 80% of DG capacity serves commercial and industrial sectors
• 20% is used in residential group housing societies

While essential for backup, DG sets come with high operational costs and contribute to air and noise pollution, highlighting the need for cleaner energy alternatives.

>Currently, energy conservation is not a strong focus in the city. However, several simple but impactful measures can help:

• Use of LEDs and smart lighting systems
• Maximizing natural sunlight during the day
• Adoption of energy-efficient appliances and solar heating systems

Awareness campaigns and incentives are needed to drive behavioral change among consumers.

The attractive cost economics of sol ar power, gove rnment subsidies and increasing environment-consciousness amongst consume rs are contributing to the solar transition. Given the fact that land is a premium in Gurgaon, solar rooftop has emerged as an attractive option for the city.

Thus, rooftops of houses, malls, office buildings, industries and school and college campuses, hospitals and other in stitutions are all suitable for rooftop solar installation. Furthermore, roof top solar power is generated and consumed locally, without the need to transmit it over long distances, which reduces the transmission cost. There are various business models for rooftop solar. In the capex model, the power offtaker owns the solar project and the develop er merely installs it for a fee. In the opex mo del, the developer owns and installs the system at the offtaker’s pre mi ses for a mutually agreed solar power procurement tariff.

The Ministry for Non Renewable Energy (MNRE) grants a subsidy for solar rooftops projects for individual homes and RWAs. Haryana Government’s policy also promotes solar including attractive net metering policies. Gurgaon has added about 90 MW of rooftop solar energy till 2020. Some of the RWAs that have adopted solar are Hewo Apartment-I, Sector 56, Gurgaon, Maple Heights, Devendra Vihar RWA, Wellington RWA, The Citizen, RWA, DLF Icon, Bestech Park View Residency and Vatika City. Gurgaon has a potential for adding nearly 600 MW of rooftop solar.

Residential, industrial and commercial consumers can kick-start their solar rooftop journey by filling an online application form on the DHBVNL website. For both subsidy and net metering (for solar projects), consumers can apply to DHBVNL.