Kothrud’s Bhagyashree Apartment Becomes Pune’s First Solar-Powered Residential Building
Kothrud, 22nd January 2025: In a pioneering move towards sustainable living, Bhagyashree Apartment in Kothrud has achieved a landmark distinction by becoming the first fully solar-powered residential building in Pune District. The apartment, located in Rambagh Colony, has successfully installed a 30 kW rooftop solar power generation system, catering to both domestic and common electricity needs. This initiative has not only eliminated electricity bills for its residents but also set a benchmark for other residential complexes in the city.
Zero Electricity Bills, Rs 35,000 Saved Every Month
The solar power project has resulted in significant savings, with residents collectively benefiting from a monthly reduction of ₹35,000 in electricity costs. Additionally, the project received financial support under the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Yojana, with a subsidy of ₹5.54 lakh granted to the society.
Union Minister of State Muralidhar Mohol felicitated the key contributors to the project, including residents Anand Deshpande, Mandar Deshmukh, and Satish Athawale, at a special event. Present at the occasion were MLA Siddharth Shirole, MSEDCL’s Chief Engineer Rajendra Pawar, Superintendent Engineer Sinhajirao Gaikwad, and Executive Engineer Vijay Funde.
Journey to Solar Success
Bhagyashree Apartment comprises 10 flats and has been implementing solar initiatives for the past two years. Initially, an 11 kW solar power system was installed to manage common utilities such as lifts, water pumps, and lights, effectively reducing their monthly electricity bill of ₹15,000–₹16,000 to zero.
Encouraged by this success, the residents collaborated with Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) officials, including Additional Executive Engineer Rajesh Kale, Branch Engineer Ashutosh Thorat, and Kailash Madavi, to expand the solar project. After site inspections and feasibility studies, it was determined that the building’s rooftop could support a 19 kW solar system despite the flats’ total approved power load of 81 kW.
Customized solar installations were implemented for each flat based on individual electricity consumption patterns:
- 1 kW systems: Installed for four flats.
- 2 kW systems: Installed for three flats.
- 3 kW systems: Installed for three flats.
Within just one month, the entire project was completed, demonstrating a seamless transition to renewable energy.
Residents Speak
Mandar Deshmukh, a resident of Bhagyashree Apartment, expressed his gratitude: “The collective decision of all flat owners allowed us to benefit from the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Yojana. With the subsidy of ₹5.54 lakh, the total project cost of ₹15.71 lakh will be recovered in just four years. We are thrilled to have zero electricity bills every month.”
A Green Model for Pune and Beyond
Highlighting the significance of this milestone, Rajendra Pawar, Chief Engineer of Pune Circle, shared, “Bhagyashree Apartment is an exemplary case of sustainable energy adoption. So far, 18,640 applications under the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Yojana have been approved in Pune Circle, resulting in 5,853 rooftop solar projects generating 28.9 MW of power. This includes Pune’s first green-energy-based electric vehicle charging station and the solar-powered Tekwadi village in Khed Taluka.”
Pawar expressed hope that more housing societies and Gram Panchayats would emulate Bhagyashree Apartment’s success by switching to solar energy, thereby contributing to a greener and more sustainable Maharashtra.
