India added three gigawatts (GW) of open-access solar capacity in the second quarter of 2026, a quarterly record that brought cumulative installations to 36 GW at the end of June. First-half additions reached nearly six GW, up 42 per cent year on year as commercial and industrial demand and regulatory deadlines accelerated activity. The data appear in Mercom India’s report on the second quarter and first half of 2026.

In the open-access model commercial and industrial consumers procure power from off-site solar projects through transmission and distribution networks rather than from local distribution companies. Supply is typically via third-party power purchase agreements or captive and group-captive arrangements, with project economics influenced by state open-access rules, grid charges, banking provisions and surcharges. These elements affect project viability across states.

The report said open-access installations rose 10 per cent quarter on quarter, with Rajasthan accounting for 25 per cent of additions in the quarter. Mercom India said developers advanced procurement and commissioning in the first half ahead of a phased reduction of the interstate transmission system charge waiver and the introduction of sourcing rules under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers List-II. Those sourcing requirements were deferred until the end of 2026 but the extension followed the original deadline.

Mercom India noted that record installations and a large pipeline reflected strong demand from commercial and industrial consumers while warning that rising project costs, transmission constraints, shifting banking and open-access regulations and domestic sourcing requirements were straining project economics. India’s cumulative open-access capacity stood at 36 GW at the end of June 2026, with Karnataka holding 21 per cent of cumulative capacity and Rajasthan and Maharashtra each holding 16 per cent. The five leading states accounted for 77 per cent of capacity, highlighting concentration in industrial regions and underlining the need for predictable state regulations and competitive tariffs.