CTUL Draft Allows One-Time Change in RE Sources for Uncommissioned Projects

Central Transmission Utility of India Limited (CTUL) has drafted a procedure to enable changes in renewable energy sources for projects that have already been granted Connectivity. CTUL has sought comments on the draft until December 27, 2025.

The draft aims to establish a procedure under the CERC (Connectivity and General Network Access) Regulations, 2022, to permit connectivity grantees to change their declared renewable energy source(s), either fully or partially, within the same connectivity. The regulation enables changes in renewable energy source connectivity for projects with or without an Energy Storage System (ESS). Such source changes are expected to be made through the National Single Window System (NSWS) portal.

The regulation also allows changes to the renewable energy sources approved under the in-principle or final intimation for the grant of Connectivity, including adjustments to Solar, Wind, Hybrid capacities, and the addition or removal of ESS components. 

Additionally, the draft states that all deficiencies will be treated as minor, including allowing a one-time change in sources per the Connectivity grant without changing or increasing the approved Connectivity quantum. These changes will not result in any extension or relaxation of the start date of Connectivity or post-grant compliances.

Setting Timeline To Seek Project Connectivity

To implement these changes, the regulation allows applications to CTU for approval within 18 months from the in-principle grant of Connectivity or 18 months before the firm start date of Connectivity, whichever is later, or within such period as provided under the CERC Order dated December 8, 2025, as a one-time measure.

Moreover, the regulation allows changes in sources for entities with solar-hour access only, to the extent that non-solar-hour access has not been granted to another entity. As per the CERC Order dated December 8, 2025, the inter-se priority between an application for source change under Regulation 9.3.6 and an application for grant of Connectivity for non-solar hours under Regulation 5 shall be determined based on the relative date and time stamp of the applications.

A source change request would not be permitted if the new source has a 50% land requirement (as per Regulation 5.9) that exceeds the land documents already submitted. However, it creates an exception where such a change arises from a Letter of Award (LOA) or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) mandating the revised source.