HERC Approves Green Energy Open Access Rules, Ensures Not Levying Reliability Charges 

The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC), in its latest order, approved changes to the draft Green Energy Open Access Rules. This comes after hearing pleas from the electricity generators, power distribution companies, and other stakeholders.

The Ministry of Power, earlier on June 6, 2022, came up with its Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Regulations 2022. These rules apply to the generation, purchase, and consumption of green energy under open access. The State Commission issued the draft rules on March 22, 2023, and asked the stakeholders for comments by the end of March 31, 2023. 

The new approved rules are named–the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (Green Energy Open Access) Regulations 2023. In the approved regulations, the HERC has made some changes while rejecting some of the issues. Several of these concerns were raised by different stakeholders during the petition hearing.

One of the key assurances given by the HERC was not-levying of the “reliability charges.” Several stakeholders had raised apprehensions about the applicability of reliability charges under the green energy open access. This issues was not mentioned in the draft rules. The HERC, in its order, clarified that no other charges other than what was mentioned in the regulations would be levied. 

Extension of timeline for connections 

Meanwhile, the HERC rejected the pleas of some power-sector units on the issue captive power needs. Some clean energy players had requested exempting the provision of penalties for captive consumers. This was meant for those where the users draw more power than the allowed quota. The HERC has also made one important change in relation to the timeline for connections. The HERC has extended the date of supply of connection from the power supplier from the earlier decided 15 days to 30 days in the final rules.

Some discoms and green energy players also requested the Commission to put a ceiling on the capacity limit of installation of power plants. The Commission rejected the demand saying that it would restrict the process. 

Some electricity players also pleaded with the HERC to decrease the requisition period from a minimum of 12 months to one month. However, the Commission rejected this plea too. On the issue of the tariff under this rule, one of the requests made before the Commission was to decide the tariff by the end of January of every year instead of April. The Commission rejected this plea too. 

After hearing all the pleas, making its observations, and giving point-wise orders on those, the HERC finally approved the new green energy open access rules and asked for publication in an official gazette notification.