MNRE Extends ALMM List-II Exemption Till 31 December 2026: What It Means

On 18th July 2026, MNRE issued a memorandum extending the ALMM List-II exemption for Net-Metering and Open Access renewable power projects, pushing the compliance deadline from 31st May 2026 out to 31st December 2026. This article breaks down what ALMM List-II actually is (the approved list governing domestic solar cell sourcing), how this latest order supersedes MNRE's earlier hard-deadline stance from May 2026, and exactly which project categories benefit from the extended window. It walks through the practical implications for rooftop solar developers, EPCs racing to commission projects, and Open Access RE buyers, along with why the domestic cell-sourcing requirement isn't disappearing, just delayed for these two project types until January 2027. A timely, policy-focused read for anyone in India's solar EPC or developer community who needs to recheck project timelines and cell-sourcing decisions in light of this regulatory update.