Himachal Issues Draft Order on Rooftop Solar Based on Net Metering

Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Issues Tender for 12 MW Solar Project

HPERC has issued the draft “Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive System based on Net Metering) Order, 2019.

The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC) has issued the draft “Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive System based on Net Metering) Order, 2019,” with regulations for installation of rooftop systems based on net metering in the state.

This Order shall be applicable to such domestic supply consumers to whom Letter of Approval (LoA) for installing Rooftop Solar PV based on Net Metering is issued after November 15, 2018, as per the HPERC (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive System based on Net Metering) Regulations, 2015 and who have thereafter installed such system.

And secondly, the order shall be applicable only in cases where the domestic supply consumer installs the solar rooftop system which directly converts solar energy into electricity, using the crystalline silicon or thin film technology or any other technology as approved by MNRE and are connected to the Grid.

Key Highlights from the draft order:

• The distribution company (DISCOM) will compute the per kWh rate payable to domestic supply consumers for the energy credits at the close of the settlement.
• The rate will be equal to 30 percent of the weighted average per kWh rate at which the DISCOM has purchased power from the ground-mounted solar PV projects up to 5 MW capacity located in the state during the calendar year ending December 31.
• This tariff will be subject to the provisions of the HPERC (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive System based on Net Metering) Regulations, 2015 and the orders issued by HPERC on this matter.
• The DISCOM will work out the weighted average rate for purchase of energy in respect of each calendar year and upload on its website.
• The DISCOM will pay customers, for the electricity credits, if any, remaining unadjusted at the end of the settlement period during the useful life of 25 years of the rooftop solar PV system.

The draft order will be taken into consideration after the expiry of 14 days from the date of publication in the official gazette of Himachal Pradesh. And for now, has been put up for comments and suggestions from stakeholders.

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