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Quick answer: One 14.2 kg LPG cylinder (₹957.50 in Chennai, November 2026) does roughly the same cooking as about 120–150 units of electricity on an induction cooktop. A typical family using 8–9 cylinders a year spends about ₹8,000–₹8,600 on LPG. Switching to induction on grid power usually costs more than that in Tamil Nadu, because the extra ~200 units every two months pushes most households into higher TANGEDCO slabs, and past 500 units they also lose 100 free units. On solar it can be close to free, but only if you have surplus generation or add about 1 kW of panels. That extra 1 kW (unsubsidised above 3 kW) pays back in roughly 7 years on LPG savings alone.
The Unit Math: One Cylinder in Electricity
| LPG stove | Induction cooktop | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy in | 14.2 kg × ~46 MJ/kg ≈ 182 kWh of heat | Electricity from the socket |
| Typical efficiency (heat into the vessel) | ~55–68% | ~80–88% |
| Useful cooking heat per cylinder | ~100–124 kWh | — |
| Electricity needed for the same cooking | — | ~120–150 units |
BIS-standard domestic LPG stoves are rated at 68% thermal efficiency in lab tests. Real kitchens with wind, wide flames and uncovered pots do worse. Induction loses less heat because it heats the vessel directly. Our planning figure is about 135 units per cylinder replaced.
What a Family Spends on LPG
| Household | Cylinders/year | LPG cost/year (at ₹957.50) | Units needed to replace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Couple / small family | 6 | ~₹5,750 | ~810 units |
| Family of four | 8–9 | ~₹7,650–₹8,600 | ~1,080–1,215 units |
| Joint family / heavy cooking | 12 | ~₹11,500 | ~1,620 units |
Per two-month TANGEDCO cycle, a family of four switching fully to induction adds about 180–200 units to the bill.
Why Induction on Grid Power Often Costs More
TANGEDCO's domestic tariff is telescopic, and households lose 100 of their 200 free units once bi-monthly consumption crosses 500 (see the slab guide). Adding 200 units for cooking:
| Current bi-monthly units | Bill now | Bill with +200 units for cooking | Extra per year | LPG cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | ₹470 | ₹1,570 | ~₹6,600 | ~₹8,600 |
| 400 | ₹940 | ₹2,880 | ~₹11,600 | ~₹8,600 |
| 600 | ₹2,880 | ₹4,770 | ~₹11,300 | ~₹8,600 |
| 800 | ₹4,770 | ₹6,870 | ~₹12,600 | ~₹8,600 |
Energy charges only, excluding fixed charges.
Only very low-consumption households come out ahead on grid power. For most Tamil Nadu homes, induction on TANGEDCO power costs roughly ₹2,700–₹4,000 a year more than LPG. That's why the switch only makes sense alongside solar.
Induction on Solar: Three Scenarios
1. You already have surplus solar
If your system makes more than you use, for example a 3 kW system producing about 750 units against 550 units of use, those surplus units do little for you. Cooking with them is close to free, and you save the full ₹8,000–₹8,600 a year in LPG.
Under net metering, units exported at noon offset units imported in the evening, so you don't have to cook at midday to benefit. Dinner on banked units works too. See how net metering credits work.
2. You're installing solar now
Size up by about 1 kW to cover cooking. One kW makes about 1,500 units a year (see units per kW), slightly more than a family of four needs.
- Extra cost: about ₹60,000 (going from 3 kW to 4 kW at current installed prices; no extra subsidy above 3 kW)
- Plus an induction cooktop (₹2,500–₹4,000) and induction-compatible vessels if you don't have them
- Saving: ~₹8,000–₹8,600 a year in LPG
- Payback: roughly 7 years, then free cooking for the rest of the panels' 25-year life
That's slower than the solar system itself pays back, but still a good return on a 25-year asset, and it protects you from future LPG price rises.
3. You have solar but no surplus
You'd be paying the higher-slab rates in the table above for the extra units. Either add panels or stay with LPG for most cooking.
The Practical Middle Path
Most Tamil Nadu families who switch don't give up LPG completely:
- Move to induction or electric: boiling milk and water, tea and coffee, rice (electric rice cooker), pressure cooking, idli steaming, quick sautés. These are the bulk of daily cooking energy.
- Keep LPG for: high-heat tadka in round-bottom kadais, rotis on an open flame, festival bulk cooking, and power cuts. On-grid solar shuts down when the grid fails, and so does your induction.
Moving 60–70% of cooking to induction typically stretches one cylinder to three or four months and needs only about 0.6–0.7 kW of extra solar.
Things to Know Before Switching
- Wiring: A 2 kW induction cooktop draws about 9 A. Use a dedicated 16 A socket. Don't run it through a thin extension cord.
- Sanctioned load: If you're adding cooktops, an oven or an EV charger, check your sanctioned load.
- Vessels: Induction needs a magnetic base. Test with a fridge magnet.
- PMUY households with the targeted LPG subsidy pay less per cylinder, so the switch makes even less sense on grid power for them.
FAQ
How many units of electricity equal one LPG cylinder?
About 120–150 units on an induction cooktop, depending on how efficiently you cook on each. A 14.2 kg cylinder holds about 182 kWh of heat energy, but LPG stoves deliver only about 55–68% of it to the vessel, while induction delivers about 80–88%.
Is induction cooking cheaper than LPG in Tamil Nadu?
Not on grid power for most households. The extra units push you into higher TANGEDCO slabs, so induction typically costs ₹2,700–₹4,000 a year more than LPG for a family of four. On rooftop solar with surplus generation, induction is far cheaper.
How much solar do I need to run an induction stove?
For a family of four cooking fully on induction, about 1 kW of extra solar, which makes about 1,500 units a year. Shifting only 60–70% of cooking needs about 0.6–0.7 kW.
Do I need to cook during the day to use solar for induction?
No. With net metering, units exported during the day offset units you import in the evening, so cooking dinner on induction still uses your solar credit. You can't cook during a power cut on an on-grid system without battery backup.
What is the LPG cylinder price in Chennai in November 2026?
The 14.2 kg domestic cylinder is ₹957.50 in Chennai as of early November 2026. Oil companies revise prices monthly, so check your distributor for the current rate.
Sources & Updates
- Bankbazaar: LPG price in Chennai: ₹957.50 for the 14.2 kg domestic cylinder, updated 2 November 2026.
- GoodReturns: LPG, PNG, CNG prices, 2 November 2026: domestic cylinder prices unchanged for November.
- IndianOil: Prices of petroleum products: official current LPG prices, revised monthly. Check here before deciding.
- IS 4246, Domestic Gas Stoves for use with LPG, from the Bureau of Indian Standards: source of the 68% minimum thermal efficiency figure. LPG calorific value of about 46 MJ/kg is the standard engineering figure.
- Induction efficiency (80–88%) is a typical range from published cooktop tests, not a single study.
- Tristar calculations: units per cylinder, bill impacts and payback are our calculations, using TANGEDCO domestic telescopic slab rates (energy charges only; see our tariff guide) and our current installed prices.
Last verified: 5 November 2026.
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