CERC Extends Validity of Expiring RECs Until March 31

CERC has in its latest order extended the validity of RECs that were set to expire on December 31, 2019, until March 31, 2020.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has in its latest order extended the validity of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that were set to expire on December 31, 2019, until March 31, 2020.

In a previous order issued in April last year, the commission had ordered the extension of the validity of RECs which were likely to expire between April 1, 2019, and October 31, 2019, up to December 31, 2019.

In its findings, the Commission observed that the RECs that have expired or are due to expire between November 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020, will now remain valid up to March 31, 2020. They expect this move will provide relief to renewable energy generators of both solar and non-solar projects, which are a part of the REC mechanism.

From the above inventory, the commission concluded that 9,514 RECs (4,960 Solar and 4,554 Non-Solar) which were issued prior to April 1, 2017, have expired in the month of November 2019. Further adding that it is of the view that there is a need to extend the validity of these RECs which have expired in November 2019.

Further, it is expected that 2,16,849 RECs which were issued prior to April 1, 2017, is due to expire within the next four months. This includes 29,808 Solar RECs and 1,87,041 Non-Solar RECs. The Commission is of the view that there is a need to extend the validity of these RECs which are due to expire up to March 31, 2020.

In its order, the CERC stated that “In view of the above, the Commission in the exercise of Power under Regulation 15 of REC Regulations extends the validity of RECs which have expired as on 30th November 2019 up to 31st March 2020. In addition, the validity of RECs which are likely to expire between 1st December 2019 and 31st March 2020 is also extended up to 31st March 2020. 6. Accordingly, RECs which have expired/are due to expire between 1st November 2019 and 31st March 2020 shall remain valid up to 31st March 2020.”

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