Draft Regulations For Tariff of Distributed Solar Projects in Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC)has issued its draft regulations for Grid Interactive Distributed Renewable Energy Sources 2019.

The Government of India has set an ambitious target to achieve 40 GW of cumulative installed capacity from grid-connected rooftop Photovoltaic (GRPV) systems by 2022. And in order to achieve that target, the center has partnered with state governments and regulators to promote the rooftop segment. In this regard, the CSERC has issued its draft regulations for Grid Interactive Distributed Renewable Energy Sources 2019. The daft has been issued for feedback, before it is finally notified. 

These regulations specifying the terms and conditions of tariff for distributed solar power projects shall come into force from the date of publication in the Official Gazette and shall extend to the whole of the state of Chhattisgarh.

As per the draft, the regulations will apply to:

1. Prosumer Distributed Renewable Energy System (PDRES) owned by prosumers or RESCO. Prosumers in this case being consumers who also produce and inject back to the grid. 
2. Independent Distributed Renewable Energy System (IDRES) installed in the area of supply of the distribution licensee
3. The consumers availing open access under the Electricity Act, 2003, may establish renewable energy systems in its premises only if it is under the IDRES.

Key Highlights:

• As per the provisions, the discoms shall implement a web-based application processing system for processing the applications for distributed renewable energy systems within three months from the date of notification of these Regulations.  And must annually publish on its website, information related to DRE capacity added during the year and cumulative capacity on each element of the distribution system.
• For discoms, the quantum of DRE generation as recorded by the generation meter shall be accounted towards compliance of its Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO). And, provided that in case the system is set up by an obligated entity, the entire renewable energy generated by these systems shall be accounted for RPO compliance by the obligated entity.
• The discoms may undertake demand aggregation and other related activities to effectively deploy DRE in its area of supply. It may act as a RESCO or EPC contractor to undertake the deployment of the DRE. In case the discom acts as a RESCO or EPC, such activity shall be considered as part of its other business as per the provisions of the tariff regulations.
• Any person shall be eligible to establish and interconnect IDRES with the network of discoms on a first-come-first-serve basis. The maximum capacity, to be installed by a person at a particular location, shall be based on the capacity and configuration of the electricity system, and in the power flows that distributed generation resource may cause.

The state commission has invited comments/suggestion from stakeholders by July 8, 2019, with the hearing on the matter scheduled for July 11, 2019.

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