After HC Order, KERC Brings New Draft Open Access Rules

By Saur News Bureau/ Updated On Mon, Jan 20th, 2025

Highlights :

Karnataka HC recently ordered striking down the Green Energy Open Access Regulations framed by the Centre and by the state.
KERC in its latest draft regulation talked about the eligibility, categories of consumers, methodologies for wheeling, banking and other charges among others.

After HC Order, KERC Brings New Draft Open Access Rules

Days after the Karnataka High Court struck down the Centre’s rules on Green Energy Open Access and the corresponding state regulations, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has introduced a fresh set of draft regulations on open access. KERC has invited stakeholders to submit their objections and suggestions before February 15, 2025.

The new draft regulations, titled Draft Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for Open Access (OA)) Regulations, 2025, outline the eligibility criteria for open-access consumers in the state, various options for availing open access, and methodologies for charge calculation, among other provisions.

Who is it applicable to?

According to KERC, these regulations will apply to all open-access consumers, including green energy open-access customers who have submitted their applications:

From January 13, 2023, for short-term open access
From January 2, 2023, for long-term and medium-term open access
With a contracted demand of 100 kW and above for High Tension (HT) connections
With a sanctioned load of 100 kW and above for Low Tension (LT) connections

Categories of Open-Access Customers

Long-term customers – Consumers who have availed or intend to avail open access for a period of five years or more.
Medium-term customers – Consumers who have availed or intend to avail open access for a period of more than one year and less than five years.
Short-term customers – Consumers who use or intend to use open access for one year or less.

Open Access Grant Procedure & Timelines

KERC has established specific timelines for processing open-access applications. The draft regulations also define deadlines for completing procedural tasks.

For instance, the draft rules mandate the State Nodal Agency (SNA) to acknowledge receipt of applications within three working days. Additionally, relevant agencies must grant open access within 15 days from the date of application.

“The SNA shall intimate the applicant, the grant of OA within the time specified. In case OA is not granted, the same shall be intimated within the above time furnishing the reasons in writing and also the probable date from which the OA can be granted. In case, SNA fails to intimate the grant of OA or otherwise, within the above specified time, the same shall be deemed to have been granted, which is subject to system availability,” the draft rules state.