Bangalore Metallurgical has commissioned a 5.5 MW ground-mounted solar project under the open access model to reduce electricity costs at its facility in Chitradurga, Karnataka.

The project was developed by Candi Solar and installed by Integrum.

The company opted for open access solar to lower its electricity bills and secure more predictable energy costs. As a metallurgical operation with high and continuous power demand, electricity represents a significant share of its operating expenses.

Before switching to solar, the facility consumed approximately 774,321 kWh of electricity every month, or about 9.29 million kWh annually.

The solar project generates approximately 733,860 kWh each month and about 8.81 million kWh annually, meeting nearly 94% of the facility’s electricity requirement.

Based on a utility tariff of ₹6 (~$0.0623)/kWh, the project is expected to deliver annual electricity cost savings of approximately ₹52.8 million (~$547,973).

Candi Solar estimated that a similar project under a capital expenditure model would have a payback period of about four years, based on a project cost of ₹195 million (~$2.02 million) and annual operations and maintenance expenses of ₹2.7 million (~$28,021).

The project uses 580 Wp solar modules manufactured by ReNew, 320 kW of Sungrow string inverters, and fixed-tilt mounting structures set at 15 degrees, fabricated from Galvalume and hot-dip galvanized steel.

“This project stands out as one of our benchmark installations under the open access category,” said Ramesh T., Project Management Lead, Candi Solar India. “Completed ahead of schedule and consistently generating above expectations, it reflects the disciplined execution and reliable performance that define Candi’s approach to commercial and industrial solar projects in India.”

In an exclusive interview with Mercom India, Nishant Sood, Managing Director (India) at Candi Solar, discussed how customer demand is driving the shift toward green open access, how risk allocation and financing models are evolving, and the operational and regulatory challenges that continue to affect project development.

Mercom India also hosts a pan-India C&I Clean Energy Meet series, bringing renewable energy developers and commercial and industrial power consumers together to discuss clean energy adoption. The next event in the series will be held in Hyderabad on August 21, 2026.