Solar News And Policies
MNRE Extends ALMM List-II Exemption for Net-Metering and Open Access Solar Till December 2026
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MNRE extends ALMM List-II exemption for Net-Metering and Open Access renewable power projects, per an Office Memorandum issued on 18th July 2026 (No. 283/53/2026-GRID SOLAR). Here's what actually changed, and who needs to act on it.
What Is ALMM List-II
ALMM, the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers, is MNRE's mechanism for pushing solar procurement toward domestic manufacturing. List-I covers solar PV modules; List-II covers solar PV cells. Under MNRE's earlier orders (9th December 2024 and 28th July 2025), any Net-Metering or Open Access RE project commissioned on or after 1st June 2026 was required to source modules from ALMM List-I and cells from ALMM List-II, reaffirmed in the 18th July 2026 memorandum covered here.
How MNRE Extends ALMM List-II Exemption
MNRE had already signaled on 25th May 2026 that there would be no blanket extension of ALMM List-II beyond 1st June 2026. That created a hard compliance deadline for developers mid-project.
The 18th July memorandum supersedes that position, without fully reversing it. There's still no blanket extension of ALMM List-II itself. But MNRE extends ALMM List-II exemption through a limited window opened specifically for Net-Metering and Open Access RE power projects: these can now commission without ALMM List-II compliance until 31st December 2026, up from the earlier cut-off of 31st May 2026.
In plain terms: the domestic cell-sourcing requirement isn't going away, but the deadline for these two project categories has moved back by roughly seven months.
The New Timeline
Before this memo: Net-Metering and Open Access projects had exemption from ALMM List-II only until 31st May 2026
After this memo: that exemption now runs until 31st December 2026
From 1st January 2027: any Net-Metering or Open Access project commissioned after this date must comply with ALMM List-II, sourcing solar PV cells from the approved domestic list
This is also not the first time MNRE has revisited this timeline; the ministry has issued a series of orders on ALMM List-II applicability since December 2024, and this latest memo is the point where MNRE extends ALMM List-II exemption furthest into 2026 so far. Open Access and utility-scale or government-tendered projects outside the Net-Metering/Open Access categories should check whether separate ALMM provisions apply to them, since this specific exemption is scoped to those two project types.
Who This Actually Affects
Rooftop solar developers and EPCs running Net-Metering projects that were racing to commission before the original 31st May 2026 (later 1st June 2026) deadline now have breathing room through the end of the year
Open Access RE project developers, typically larger C&I buyers procuring power from off-site renewable plants, get the same extended window
Module and cell suppliers serving these segments should expect continued demand for non-ALMM-List-II cells through December, with a likely sourcing shift starting January 2027
Why MNRE Extends ALMM List-II Compliance Timelines
Domestic cell manufacturing capacity in India has been ramping up, but hasn't fully caught up with demand across every project category yet. A hard 1st June 2026 deadline risked stalling projects that were already committed to non-List-II cells, sometimes due to supply timing outside a developer's control. That's the practical reason MNRE extends ALMM List-II exemption windows rather than scrapping the requirement altogether, signaling an attempt to balance the domestic manufacturing push with real project continuity.
What Developers and EPCs Should Do Now
Recheck your project timeline: if commissioning was going to slip past 31st May or 1st June 2026, this memo likely removes that pressure, but only until 31st December 2026
Don't treat this as a permanent exemption: the compliance requirement returns from 1st January 2027, so cell sourcing decisions for projects commissioning after that date should already account for ALMM List-II
Confirm your project category: this exemption is specific to Net-Metering and Open Access RE projects; other project types should verify their own applicable ALMM timeline separately
Talk to your supplier now if your project is likely to commission close to the new December deadline, since demand for non-List-II cells will likely spike as developers use the extended window
Track future updates directly on MNRE's current notices page, since this timeline has already shifted twice in 2026 and could be revised again before December
Conclusion
MNRE extends ALMM List-II exemption by roughly seven months for two specific project categories, it isn't a reversal of India's domestic solar manufacturing push. If your project falls under Net-Metering or Open Access RE, you have until 31st December 2026 to commission without ALMM List-II compliance. After that, the rules apply as originally planned.
Need help sourcing modules or cabling for a project on this timeline? Get in touch with OSG Oriana India.
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