GERC Declines To Impose Charges For Rooftop Solar Users

GERC Declines To Impose Charges For RTS Users Below 6kw

The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) in its latest order declined to impose new charges on solar rooftop consumers. This came to the light when some stakeholders demanded imposing system strengthening charges from rooftop solar users.

The demand included imposing system strengthening charges from consumers having capacities below 6Kw. The matter was raised during the consultative meeting between GERC, and the stakeholders concerned. The meeting was convened to discuss the GERC (net metering rooftop solar PV grid interactive systems) Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2024.

The draft regulations earlier had proposed no such charges from this set of prosumers. Some of these objectors suggested that there should not be any exemption in recovery of system strengthening charges for consumers installing rooftop solar upto 6Kw. They said that was in contradiction to the Section 46 Of the Electricity Act of 2003.

“The Commission has proposed in the amendment Regulations that Rooftop Solar Power plant capacity upto 6 KW set up by the consumer, strengthening of network if required, the same is not recoverable from the individual consumer by the licensee. However, such cost be recovered by the licensee as a part of ARR/Tariff Petition filed by the licensee before the Commission,” the order read.

It also added, “Thus, the licensee is not affected in any manner so far as financial aspect is concerned. Further, the purpose of non-recovery of strengthening charge for the consumer setting up of Solar Rooftop Project upto 6kW is to promote the distributed generation at consumer place and also acvheive the target of setting up of renewable energy generation fixed by the state as well as Central Government. Hence, the contention of the objector is not accepted.”

The state power regulator said that this was in line with the norms of the Ministry of Power which had allowed such exemptions for the connections upto 5kw or the ceiling as decided by the Commissions concerned.