CERC Grants Transmission Approval to POWERGRID In Andhra Pradesh

CERC Grants Transmission Approval to POWERGRID In Andhra Pradesh

A petition was filed by POWERGRID Ananthpuram Kurnool Transmission Limited for the grant of a transmission licence under Sections 14 and 15 of the Electricity Act to establish the Inter-State Transmission System for the “Transmission Scheme for Solar Energy Zone in Ananthpuram (Ananthapur) (2500 MW ) and Kurnool (1000 MW), Andhra Pradesh” on a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), after considering the application of the petitioner in light of the provisions of the Act and the Transmission Licence Regulations, in its order dated 3.2.2024, prima facie proposed to grant a transmission licence to the petitioner.

Based on the competitive bidding carried out by the PFC Consulting Limited (PFCCL), in its capacity as the Bid Process Coordinator (BPC), by the Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Power, Government of India under Section 63 of the Act, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited was declared a successful bidder with the lowest quoted annual transmission charges of Rs. 1288.88 million per annum.

A public notice under Sub-section (5) of Section 15 of the Act was published on 10.2.2024 in all editions of the Times of India (English) and Hindustan (Hindi). No suggestions/ objections have been received from members of the public in response to the public notice. The case was called out for a hearing on 23.2.2024. It was submitted by the representative of the Petitioner, in response to a public notice published by the
Commission, no objection has been received.

Eventually, CERC found that the Petitioner company meets the requirements of the Act and the Transmission Licence Regulations for the grant of a transmission licence for the subject Transmission System.

The transmission licensee shall comply with the provisions of the Transmission Licence Regulations or any subsequent enactment thereof during the period of subsistence of the licence. The licensee may make an application, two years before the expiry of the initial licence period, for the grant of the transmission licence for another term.

The licensee may make an application, two years before the expiry of the initial licence period, for the grant of the transmission licence for another term. The licensee shall not enter into any contract for or otherwise engage in the business of trading in electricity during the period of subsistence of the transmission licence.