Indus SolarFor a Kanpur home using about 300 units or more a month, usually yes. On the current KESCO tariff, a 3kW system cuts a 400-unit bill from about ₹2,840 to about ₹780 a month. After the ₹1.08 lakh subsidy, the net cost is typically recovered in 2.3 to 3.5 years, and the panels are warranted for 25.
The numbers on a real KESCO bill
KESCO bills urban homes in slabs: ₹5.50 a unit for the first 150 units, ₹6.00 for units 151–300, and ₹6.50 above 300. On top of that there is a fixed charge of ₹110 per kW of sanctioned load each month, plus 5% electricity duty.
A 3kW system in Kanpur generates about 320–330 units a month averaged over the year. With net metering, every unit it produces is taken off the units you are billed for. Here is a household on a 3kW sanctioned load using 400 units a month:
| Without solar | With 3kW solar | |
|---|---|---|
| Units billed | 400 | 75 |
| Energy charge | ₹2,375 | ₹413 |
| Fixed charge (3kW × ₹110) | ₹330 | ₹330 |
| Electricity duty (5%) | ₹135 | ₹37 |
| Approximate bill | ₹2,840 | ₹780 |
That is a saving of about ₹2,060 a month, or ₹24,700 a year. Note that the fixed charge doesn't go away. Solar replaces units, not the connection.
Payback time
Our installed price for 3kW is ₹1.65–1.95 lakh in 2026. After the combined ₹1.08 lakh subsidy, you are left with ₹57,000–87,000. At ₹24,700 a year saved, that is recovered in about 2.3 to 3.5 years. The prices and subsidy are explained in our solar panel cost guide.
Two things stretch this in practice. You pay the full price first and the subsidy arrives weeks or months after commissioning. And output drops in the monsoon (July to September) and on foggy December and January mornings, then peaks from March to May. The yearly average already includes this, but month-to-month savings will swing.
When solar is a weak fit
- Low usage. At 100–150 units a month you pay the cheapest ₹5.50 slab, so each unit saved is worth less, and payback gets closer to 5–6 years.
- Shade. A water tank, a neighbour's taller building or a tree across the panels in the afternoon can cut output far more than the shaded area suggests.
- No usable roof. Rented flats and shared terraces need written permission from the owner or society before a net meter will be approved.
- Oversizing. Surplus units left at the end of the financial year are paid at roughly ₹3–3.6 a unit, far below what you pay to buy. Size the system to your usage, not your roof. Our KESCO net metering guide shows how the credit works.
Check your own numbers
Take the units (not the rupees) from your last 12 KESCO bills and average them. That average decides the right system size. Our solar calculator runs this for you, and the 3kW system page shows what that size suits.
Common questions
- How many units does a 3kW solar system generate in Kanpur?
- About 320–330 units a month on average across the year, with more in March–May and less during the monsoon and winter fog.
- Does solar remove the fixed charge on my KESCO bill?
- No. The fixed charge of ₹110 per kW of sanctioned load stays. Solar reduces the units you are billed for.
- What happens to extra units I export?
- With net metering they are credited against units you use later. Anything left at the end of the financial year is paid out at a rate of roughly ₹3–3.6 per unit.
Sources
Subsidy amounts and tariffs are set by the government and can change. Check the official portals before you decide.