Uttarakhand Notifies Green Energy Open Access 2023 Regulations

Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission Notifies Green Energy Open Access

The Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (UERC) has notified Green Energy Open Access Regulations 2023.  As per the notification by the UERC, the consumer who has contracted demand or sanctioned load of 100 kW or more, either through a single connection or through multiple connections in the name of same consumer aggregating 100 kW or more located in the same electricity division of a distribution licensee shall be eligible to take power through Green Energy Open Access.

There is no limit for other customers including captive consumers, renewable energy generators, drawing or supplying power under Green Energy Open Access. However, this stand provided that the customer shall compulsorily maintain the approved capacity/ schedule for at least 12-time blocks in a day.

These regulations as per the Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission shall be applicable for allowing connectivity and open access to green energy open access to green energy open access customers for use of ISTS or distribution system or both including when such system is used in conjunction with ISTS provided that a generating station, including a captive generating plant or a consumer shall not be eligible to apply for long term or medium term or short term open access unless he has the connectivity or applies for connectivity to ISTS or the distribution system. “Provided further that a person may apply for connectivity as well as long term or medium term or short term open access simultaneously.”

100KW Open Access Limit Not Applicable to Captive Consumers: MERC

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State Load Despatch Centre Uttarakhand shall be the nodal agency for grant of Green Energy Open Access for short term upto one month and the State Transmission Utility shall be the nodal agency for the grant of GEOA for medium term, that is, a period exceeding three months but not exceeding three years and long term- a period exceeding twelve years, but not exceeding 25 years.

Surcharge

Cross-subsidy surcharge for Green Energy Open Access customers purchasing green energy, from a generating plant using renewable energy sources, shall not be increased during twelve years from the date of the operating of the generating plant by more than fifty percent of the surcharge fixed for the year in which open access is granted. “Provided further that such cross subsidy surcharge shall not be levied when distribution access is provided to a person who has been availing green power from the plant established as a captive generation plant for his own use.”

Exemptions

Cross subsidy surcharge and additional surcharge shall not be applicable in case power produced from a non-fossil fuel based waste to energy plant is supplied to the open access customer.

Also, cross subsidy surcharge and additional surcharge shall not be applicable if green energy is utilized for green hydrogen and ammonia production. Additionally, surcharge shall not be applicable in case electricity is produced from offshore wind projects commissioned upto December 2032 and supplied to open access consumers.

Banking charges

The banking charges shall be adjusted in kind at 8% of the energy banked. The permitted quantum of banked energy by GEOA consumer shall be 30% of its total monthly consumption of electricity from the distribution licensee.

GEOA for captive consumers

Several states, such as Gujarat and Maharashtra, have recently notified and/or introduced Green Energy Open Access Regulations. The Green Energy Open Access Rules seem to give an impetus to captive consumers.

Similar to the recommendation by UERC, in its draft notification on GEOA, Maharashtra stipulates no limits to captive consumers for Green Energy Open Access. Similarly, Karnataka’s Open Access Rules also specify that there should be no limit for power supply for captive consumers taking power under this mode.