KUSUM Andhra Pradesh Application, NREDCAP and DISCOM Steps

Andhra Pradesh runs one of India’s most generous farm power regimes: roughly 18 lakh agricultural connections receive free electricity for nine hours a day, backed by a state subsidy allocation of about ₹4,525 crore. If you farm in AP, that generosity is exactly why the KUSUM Andhra Pradesh application works differently here than in Karnataka or Tamil Nadu. The state is putting its PM-KUSUM money into solarising entire agricultural feeders, not just individual pumps. The combined central and state subsidy still reaches 60% of system cost under national PM-KUSUM rules, meaning a farmer’s share on a ₹2.5 lakh solar pump system can be as low as ₹25,000 plus an optional loan.

This guide covers the full KUSUM Andhra Pradesh application: who runs it (NREDCAP, the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh), how Components A, B, and C differ in AP, the APSPDCL, APEPDCL, and APCPDCL steps, subsidy rates, documents, timelines, and the rejection reasons that stall most farmer files.

Direct answer. To apply for PM-KUSUM in Andhra Pradesh, register through NREDCAP or your DISCOM (APSPDCL, APEPDCL, or APCPDCL) when a district window opens, submit Aadhaar, Meebhoomi land records, bank details, and pump details, and pay your farmer share after selection. Subsidy is 60% combined (30% central + 30% state) with 10% farmer share and an optional 30% loan. Component B covers standalone solar pumps, Component C solarises existing grid-connected pumps, and Component A lets landowners host 500 kW to 2 MW solar plants. AP has approved 1,162.8 MW of feeder-level solarisation covering 2.93 lakh pump sets.

The details below follow MNRE guidelines and Andhra Pradesh’s current announcements. Where AP practice differs from the national template, we say so explicitly.

What is PM-KUSUM and who runs it in Andhra Pradesh?

PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan) is the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) scheme to solarise Indian agriculture: replace diesel pumps, add solar to grid-connected pumps, and let farmers earn from small solar plants on their land. Nationally, Component B alone has crossed 11.5 lakh installed solar pumps, about 88% of the sanctioned target as of 30 June 2026, according to MNRE. The farmer-facing national portal is pmkusum.mnre.gov.in.

In Andhra Pradesh, the state nodal agency is NREDCAP. It invites farmer registrations, tenders pump and plant work to empannelled vendors, and releases the state subsidy share after commissioning. Scheme notices and tenders appear on nredcap.in (NREDCAP, 2026).

The three DISCOMs (distribution companies) play the second role. APSPDCL covers the southern districts (Tirupati, Kadapa, Nellore, Anantapur belt), APEPDCL covers the eastern districts (Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Rajahmundry region), and APCPDCL covers the central districts (Vijayawada, Guntur, Krishna, Prakasam region). For Component B, the DISCOM mainly certifies that your pump is genuinely off-grid. For Component C and feeder-level solarisation, the DISCOM is central: it handles feasibility, net metering, and is often the project proposer itself.

One honest note on where AP stands. Farmer posts on X through 2025 and 2026 repeatedly complain that Component B has barely moved in Andhra Pradesh since 2019, and a Union minister’s remark in early 2026 that AP had not sent demand under some components caused a political stir. The state’s answer has been to go big on feeder-level solarisation instead: 1,162.8 MW approved to solarise 2.93 lakh pump sets across 1,156 agricultural feeders, as reported by SolarQuarter in December 2025. For the national scheme structure, see our PM-KUSUM complete guide.

The 9-Hour Daytime Power Test: which KUSUM route fits your farm?

Before any paperwork, run our proprietary route picker, The 9-Hour Daytime Power Test. It exists because AP already gives free daytime power, so the value of each component differs sharply by farm. Answer three questions:

1. Does your land have a DISCOM agricultural meter? If no, Component B is your only route. If yes, go to question two.
2. Do you actually get the promised nine hours of daytime power, reliably, in your village? If yes, your practical gain from KUSUM is small until your feeder is solarised; register interest but do not spend. If supply is erratic or night-heavy, Component C individual pump solarisation (IPS) converts your connection to dependable daytime solar with export income.
3. Do you own 2 or more acres of fallow or low-yield land within about 5 km of an agricultural substation? If yes, Component A or a land lease to a feeder-level project is worth evaluating for steady rental income.

The test matters because of timing. If your 11 kV feeder is on the state’s 1,156-feeder solarisation list, you will get reliable daytime solar power with no application, no farmer share, and no installation on your land. Applying for Component C IPS on a feeder that is about to be solarised wastes your 10% share. Ask your DISCOM sub-division office for your feeder’s status before spending anything; it is a five-minute enquiry that can save ₹25,000 or more.

Diesel-pump farmers fail the test at question one and should treat Component B as urgent: every season on diesel costs ₹80,000 to ₹1,10,000 for a 5 HP pump, more than most farmers’ entire KUSUM share. Our KUSUM Component B application guide walks that route end to end.

Subsidy rates: what an AP farmer actually pays

Under the national PM-KUSUM structure, the Central Financial Assistance is 30% of benchmark cost, the state adds 30%, the farmer pays 10%, and an optional 30% bank loan can cover most of the remaining gap. Andhra Pradesh follows this standard structure; unlike Karnataka’s temporary 80% round, AP has not announced a higher state share as of mid-2026.

In rupees, using MNRE benchmark costs as the guide: a 5 HP solar pump system costs roughly ₹2.5 to 3 lakh installed. At 60% subsidy, the farmer pays about ₹25,000 to 30,000 upfront, with the optional loan covering the balance. Compare that with the diesel bill above, and payback lands inside the first crop year.

These are planning figures; the payable amount is fixed by NREDCAP’s tender-discovered rates for your district. The right size depends on your borewell depth and crop water need, which our KUSUM pump size by borewell depth guide works through with Rayalaseema and coastal AP water tables in mind.

Planning a solar pump or a farm solar plant? See your subsidy, farmer share, and payback in 60 seconds with our free solar calculator.

Component A in Andhra Pradesh: solar plants on farmland

Component A is for landowners, not pump owners. You install, or lease land for, a decentralised solar plant of 500 kW to 2 MW on barren or fallow land, and sell power to the DISCOM under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) at a tender-discovered tariff. Our glossary explains how a PPA works if the term is new.

Andhra Pradesh is more active here than the national average, but through a specific door: the state is acquiring land for its feeder-level and decentralised plants partly by leasing government and endowment land. Under GO 59 (January 2026), 73.41 acres of endowment land was leased to NREDCAP at ₹30,000 per acre per year with a 5% escalation every two years. That sets a realistic benchmark for what private landowners can expect in lease negotiations: ₹25,000 to 40,000 per acre per year in most districts, indexed upward.

Who should seriously consider Component A in AP:

• Landowners with 2 or more acres of fallow land near an agricultural substation, especially in Anantapur, Kadapa, and Kurnool districts where irradiation is among the best in South India.
• Farmer producer organisations that can pool contiguous plots.
• Farmers who want lease income without operating anything.

Who should skip it: anyone whose real problem is irrigation reliability. Component C or feeder solarisation solves that at zero or low cost. Our KUSUM Component A landowner guide covers PPA income maths in detail, and MNRE has extended Component A PPA timelines to March 2027, so the pipeline is open. For engineering support on ground-mount layouts and grid drawings, our sister firm Heaven Designs has a practical explainer on PM-KUSUM project design.

Component B: standalone solar pumps, the diesel replacement route

Component B replaces your diesel or off-grid pump with a standalone solar pump, no grid connection involved. Nationally this is the flagship component, but in Andhra Pradesh it is the weakest link: the state’s free-power policy meant most irrigation was already grid-connected, so Component B demand was historically low, and farmer complaints on X in 2026 describe it as effectively stalled since 2019.

The practical reading for 2026: with the state now scaling PM-KUSUM through feeders and reporting about 1 lakh pumps sanctioned, Component B windows are expected to widen for genuinely off-grid farmers, particularly in upland Rayalaseema and tribal-belt mandals where borewells run on diesel. Register your interest with the NREDCAP district office now so your name is in the queue when a window opens.

Eligibility essentials:

• You own or lease agricultural land in Andhra Pradesh with a working borewell, open well, or surface source.
• No DISCOM agricultural meter exists on that survey number (grid-connected farmers go to Component C).
• Tenant farmers can apply with a registered tenancy agreement and landowner consent; see our KUSUM tenant farmer rules for the consent format.
• One pump per survey number in most district rounds.

Two AP-specific cautions. First, groundwater-notified mandals (the state notifies over-exploited blocks) can face pump capacity caps, so do not assume 10 HP is available in your mandal. Second, because windows open irregularly, the farmers who get pumps are the ones whose documents were already clean when the window opened. Qbits Energy maintains a farmer-friendly walkthrough of the KUSUM agricultural solar subsidy structure, and our Component B application guide has the full document sequence.

Component C and feeder-level solarisation: AP’s main game

Component C is for farmers who already have a DISCOM agricultural connection, and in Andhra Pradesh this is where nearly all the money is flowing. It comes in two flavours.

Individual Pump Solarisation (IPS): a solar plant sized to your pump’s HP is installed at your farm. The pump runs on solar during the day, the grid stays as backup, and surplus units are exported under net metering at the DISCOM’s applicable rate. Subsidy follows the standard 60% structure, and your DISCOM handles feasibility and the net metering agreement.

Feeder Level Solarisation (FLS): one solar plant, typically 500 kW to a few MW, is built to supply an entire 11 kV agricultural feeder. Every pump on that feeder gets reliable daytime solar power with no installation at the farm. MNRE’s dedicated FLS guidelines are in this Press Information Bureau release. AP’s approved plan, 1,162.8 MW across 1,156 feeders covering 2.93 lakh pump sets, makes it one of the largest FLS commitments in India. Industry-reported discovered tariffs in AP’s decentralised solar tenders have been in the ₹3.19 to 3.60 per unit range, which is why the state finds FLS cheaper than continuing the ₹4,525 crore free-power subsidy indefinitely.

For the farmer, FLS is mostly passive: you do not apply so much as get covered when your feeder is selected. IPS is the one you actively apply for, through your DISCOM. The step-by-step IPS process, including net metering paperwork, is in our KUSUM Component C grid-tied pump guide.

How to apply for KUSUM in Andhra Pradesh: step-by-step

Portal screens change between rounds, but the sequence below is stable for NREDCAP’s Component B cycles and the DISCOM-run Component C process.

1. Confirm the window. Check nredcap.in notices or your DISCOM sub-division office. Component B opens district-wise; Component C IPS runs through DISCOM notifications; FLS requires no application. If no window is open, register interest in writing at the DISCOM or NREDCAP district office.
2. Fix your documents before registering. Pull a fresh Adangal and 1-B (Record of Rights) from Meebhoomi or your village revenue office, and match every name spelling against Aadhaar and your bank passbook. This one step prevents most rejections.
3. Register on the NREDCAP or DISCOM portal. Enter your survey number, Aadhaar-linked mobile, borewell and pump details, and bank account. Save the application number you receive.
4. Field verification. The DISCOM (for C) or NREDCAP’s appointed agency (for B) verifies land, water source, and grid status. For B, they confirm no agricultural meter exists on the survey number.
5. Selection and demand note. If within the district quota, you receive a selection intimation and a demand note for your farmer share, 10% plus optional loan on the standard structure.
6. Pay and the vendor installs. Payment goes only to NREDCAP or the DISCOM against a written demand note, never to an agent. The empannelled vendor installs within about 4-8 weeks and commissions the remote monitoring system.
7. Subsidy release and warranty handover. Central and state shares are released to the vendor after commissioning verification. Keep the 5-year warranty papers and the vendor’s service contact.

Total elapsed time for a clean Component B file: 60 to 90 days nationally; in AP, plan for 90 to 120 days while NREDCAP’s process ramps up. Farmers in neighbouring states face similar paperwork but different portals; see our KUSUM Karnataka application and KUSUM Tamil Nadu application guides for comparison.

Documents and eligibility checklist

Andhra Pradesh’s document set is manageable because land records are digitised on Meebhoomi, but every document must agree with the others.

Documents required (Component B and C):

• Aadhaar card with linked mobile number (OTP verification is mandatory).
• Adangal and 1-B (Record of Rights) for the survey number, issued within the last 12 months, downloaded from Meebhoomi or obtained at the village revenue office.
• Bank passbook or cancelled cheque of an Aadhaar-seeded account.
• Borewell or water source proof: drilling receipt, yield test, or village revenue certificate where the borewell is not recorded.
• Existing pump details: HP rating and connection papers for Component C, or a diesel pump photograph and self-declaration for Component B.
• Caste certificate (SC/ST) if applying under a priority category.
• Tenancy agreement and landowner consent, if you are a tenant farmer.

Eligibility at a glance:

• Resident of Andhra Pradesh with agricultural land in the applying district.
• Component B: no DISCOM agricultural meter on the survey number.
• Component C IPS: existing legal agricultural connection in the applicant’s name.
• Component A: 2 or more acres of contiguous land with clear title, within DISCOM evacuation distance.

Timelines: how long the AP process actually takes

Plan for 90 to 120 days end to end for Component B in AP, and 120 to 150 days for Component C IPS, because DISCOM feasibility and net metering add time. Feeder-level solarisation runs on NREDCAP’s tender calendar, not yours; once your feeder is selected, commissioning follows the tender schedule that MNRE guidelines expect within about 6 months of sanction.

What stretches these numbers: document mismatches (adds 3-8 weeks), district quota exhaustion, and vendor backlogs. Because AP’s Component B machinery is still ramping up, the paper trail matters even more here: pay only against an NREDCAP or DISCOM demand note carrying your application number, and keep the receipt. That is what gets a stalled file escalated.

Why KUSUM applications get rejected in AP (and the fix)

Across our application work in South India and NREDCAP’s verification criteria, rejections cluster into a short, fixable list. We use a proprietary check with farmer clients called The Meebhoomi Triple-Match Rule: before you register, the applicant name, father’s name, and survey number must match exactly across three records, the Adangal or 1-B on Meebhoomi, Aadhaar, and the bank account. If any one differs, fix it at the MeeSeva centre or bank first, then apply. Files that pass the Triple-Match Rule clear verification in one visit; files that fail it bounce between offices for weeks.

1. 1
   Name mismatch between the 1-B record and Aadhaar: the top rejection cause nationally and in AP. Correct Aadhaar or complete the mutation before applying; do not hope verification overlooks it.
2. 2
   Existing agricultural meter on the survey number (Component B): with AP's near-universal free-power connections, this kills more B applications here than anywhere else. Apply under Component C instead.
3. 3
   Outdated Adangal or pending mutation: a record older than 12 months or showing a deceased holder fails field verification. Complete the mutation at MeeSeva first.
4. 4
   Bank account not Aadhaar-seeded: subsidy-linked payments fail on non-seeded accounts. Seed the account at your branch before registration.
5. 5
   Applying outside an open window: AP's Component B windows open irregularly. An application filed when no quota exists is not rejected, it is simply never processed. Track NREDCAP notices.
6. 6
   Fake portal or agent registration: agents collect "booking fees" when state schemes scale up. If your registration did not produce an NREDCAP or DISCOM application number, you were never in the system.

If your application was already rejected, you can re-apply in the next window after fixing the stated reason. There is no blacklisting for a first rejection.

Stuck with a rejected or stalled KUSUM file? Our team reviews documents and resubmits applications as part of our farm solar service. Talk to a solar engineer →

Is KUSUM worth it for an Andhra Pradesh farmer?

For a diesel-pump farmer, the arithmetic is decisive. A 5 HP diesel pump burns ₹80,000 to 1,10,000 of fuel per year across two crop seasons. At the standard 60% subsidy, your investment is ₹25,000 to 30,000 upfront, so payback lands inside the first year. For grid-connected farmers, the calculation is subtler because power is already free: the real gains are schedule reliability (daytime solar on your timetable, not the DISCOM’s roster), protection against any future metering of agricultural supply, and export income under Component C IPS.

Verdict. If you run a diesel pump in Andhra Pradesh, get your documents clean and register interest with NREDCAP now, because the next Component B window will favour ready files. If you have a DISCOM connection, first check whether your feeder is on the 1,156-feeder solarisation list; if it is, wait and pay nothing. If it is not and your supply is erratic, Component C IPS is worth the 120-150 day wait.

The exception worth naming: if your borewell yields poorly, a bigger solar pump does not create water. Fix the water source question first, then size the pump. And if you are a Vijayawada or Guntur homeowner rather than a farmer, KUSUM is not your route; our PM Suryaghar APSPDCL process guide covers the rooftop subsidy instead.

How Heaven Green Energy Helps

Heaven Green Energy is an MNRE-channel-partner solar EPC with 10,000+ installations across India, and our agriculture team handles the parts of the KUSUM Andhra Pradesh application that actually cause delays: document preparation against the Meebhoomi Triple-Match Rule, pump sizing from your borewell depth and crop water need, DISCOM liaison for Component C feasibility and net metering, and installation with Tier-1 BIS-certified equipment. We also work with AP farmers outside the subsidy route when no window is open, because a diesel pump replaced at full price still pays back in under three years for most borewells.

• DREBP and PM-KUSUM solar solutions: solar pump and farm solar projects with subsidy paperwork handled by our team.
• Ground-mount solar parks: Component A style land-based plants from feasibility to PPA support.
• Solar calculator: your farmer share, subsidy, and payback in 60 seconds.
• Contact our farm solar team: free document review before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the subsidy percentage for KUSUM in Andhra Pradesh?

Andhra Pradesh follows the national PM-KUSUM structure: 60% combined subsidy (30% central financial assistance plus 30% state share), with the farmer paying 10% upfront and an optional 30% bank loan, according to MNRE guidelines. On a 5 HP pump system costing ₹2.5 to 3 lakh, that means roughly ₹25,000 to 30,000 out of pocket. AP has not announced a higher state share as of mid-2026, unlike Karnataka’s temporary 80% round.

Who is the nodal agency for PM-KUSUM in Andhra Pradesh?

NREDCAP, the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh, is the state nodal agency. It manages farmer registrations, tenders pump and plant work to empannelled vendors, and releases the state subsidy share. The three DISCOMs (APSPDCL, APEPDCL, APCPDCL) verify grid status, run Component C net metering, and execute feeder-level solarisation with NREDCAP.

How do I apply for KUSUM in Andhra Pradesh online?

Register through the NREDCAP portal when a Component B district window opens, or through your DISCOM for Component C individual pump solarisation. You need Aadhaar, a fresh Adangal and 1-B record from Meebhoomi, an Aadhaar-seeded bank account, and pump or borewell details. You receive an application number, then field verification, selection intimation, and a demand note for your farmer share.

What documents are required for the KUSUM AP application?

You need an Aadhaar card with a linked mobile, Adangal and 1-B (Record of Rights) issued within the last 12 months, an Aadhaar-seeded bank account, borewell or water source proof, existing pump details, and a caste certificate if applying under a priority category. Tenant farmers also need a registered tenancy agreement and landowner consent. Names must match exactly across Meebhoomi records, Aadhaar, and bank records.

How long does KUSUM approval and installation take in AP?

A clean Component B file takes 90 to 120 days in Andhra Pradesh, against 60 to 90 days nationally, because NREDCAP’s process is still ramping up. Component C individual pump solarisation takes 120 to 150 days due to DISCOM feasibility and net metering steps. Document mismatches add 3 to 8 weeks, and applying outside an open window pushes you to the next round entirely.

What is feeder-level solarisation and will it cover my pump?

Feeder-level solarisation (FLS) builds one solar plant to supply an entire 11 kV agricultural feeder, giving every connected pump reliable daytime solar power with no installation at the farm. Andhra Pradesh has approved 1,162.8 MW across 1,156 feeders covering 2.93 lakh pump sets. Ask your DISCOM sub-division office whether your feeder is on the list; if it is, you pay nothing and do not need to apply.

Can tenant farmers apply for KUSUM in Andhra Pradesh?

Yes. Tenant farmers are eligible for Component B with a registered tenancy agreement and the landowner’s written consent. The tenancy document must match the survey number on the Adangal, and the landowner must confirm no other KUSUM application exists for the same plot. Selection priority in most district rounds favours owner-cultivators, so tenants should register interest early.

Why was my KUSUM Andhra Pradesh application rejected?

The most common reasons are a name mismatch between the Meebhoomi record and Aadhaar, an outdated Adangal or pending mutation, an existing agricultural meter on the survey number (invalid for Component B), a non-Aadhaar-seeded bank account, or no open window in your district. You can re-apply in the next window after fixing the stated reason; a first rejection does not blacklist you.