Visakhapatnam hospitals cut electricity bills with solar power adoption
Several government teaching and specialty hospitals in Visakhapatnam have significantly reduced their electricity expenditure after adopting solar power systems installed under a 2018 agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India.
Under the arrangement, a private agency installed rooftop solar panels across multiple hospitals at its own cost and supplies electricity at around ₹4 per unit, compared to ₹8–₹9 per unit charged by conventional power utilities.
At the Visakhapatnam Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), 753 solar panels generate more than 34,000 units of electricity every month. This has helped reduce the hospital’s monthly electricity bill of about ₹2.5 lakh by nearly ₹1 lakh.
At Ghosha Hospital, a 130 kW solar system generates over 20,000 units per month, resulting in savings of ₹60,000 to ₹80,000 against a monthly electricity bill ranging from ₹1.8 lakh to ₹2.2 lakh.
The Government Chest and Infectious Diseases Hospital, with a 250 kW installation, is saving close to 40 per cent on its monthly power bills. Officials said the average monthly bill of ₹1.8 lakh has come down by around ₹80,000.
At the Government Mental Health Hospital, a 110 kW solar system produces over 20,000 units per month, reducing electricity expenses by approximately ₹70,000 from a total monthly bill of ₹2.1 lakh. Officials added that an additional 50 kW panels recently installed near the family ward are expected to further enhance savings.
King George Hospital (KGH), which has one of the largest rooftop solar installations in the city at around 350 kW across the CSR, super-specialty, and orthopaedics blocks, is saving up to ₹5 lakh per month on electricity charges.
The ENT Hospital and the Regional Eye Hospital, each equipped with more than 100 kW of solar capacity, are also reporting monthly savings of ₹50,000 to ₹70,000.
Hospital authorities said the adoption of solar energy has provided significant financial relief amid rising electricity costs, while also supporting the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy use in public healthcare institutions.