JSERC Draft Sets CUF, Tariff Norms For Solar And Hybrid Projects

The Jharkhand State Electricity Regulatory Commission (JSERC) has issued a draft Regulation, 2025, on the Determination of Tariff for Procurement of Power from Solar Power Projects and Solar Thermal Power Projects. JSERC’s latest draft regulation would apply to solar power projects, floating solar projects, solar thermal power projects, solar hybrid energy projects, and solar-plus-storage projects, subject to eligibility criteria specified in the regulation.

These regulation aims to determine tariffs under the 2025 framework and set the control period or review period until March 31, 2028, from the date of its publication in the Jharkhand Gazette.

It also clarifies that the regulation covers projects based on technologies approved by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Furthermore, JSERC in its draft explained, “Provided that floating solar projects installed with existing renewable energy projects, other than ground-mounted solar PV projects, shall be treated as solar hybrid energy projects.”

Solar Hybrid Energy Projects

As per the draft, the rated capacity of generation from one renewable energy source must constitute at least 33% of the total installed capacity of a solar hybrid energy project operating at a common interconnection point. The energy must be injected into the grid and metered at the same point.

For solar-plus-storage projects, the regulation mandates that energy generated from the solar project must be stored in a facility connected at the same interconnection point.

Loan Tenure and Project-Specific Tariffs

JSERC’s latest draft sets a loan tenure of 12 years for both generic and project-specific tariffs. For project-specific tariffs, the normative loan outstanding as of April 1 each year must be calculated by deducting cumulative repayments up to March 31 of the previous year from the gross normative loan.

Capacity Utilisation Factor (CUF)

The Commission will approve CUFs only for project-specific tariffs. The draft prescribes:

• Minimum CUF of 21% for solar PV projects

• Minimum CUF of 23% for solar thermal projects

  

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• Minimum CUF of 19% for floating solar projects

Tariffs for Solar Hybrid Projects

The tariff for solar hybrid energy projects will be a composite levelised tariff, factoring in tariff components for the minimum useful life of the RE technologies combined.

JSERC in its draft notes: “Provided that, in case any of the RE technologies in the hybrid project has a further useful life, the levelised tariff for that remaining life shall be determined separately.”

Storage Efficiency Guidelines

JSERC is required to approve storage efficiency for project-specific tariffs. The draft specifies:

• Minimum efficiency of 85% for solid-state battery storage

• Minimum efficiency of 75% for pumped hydro storage

The efficiency of the storage component shall be measured annually as the ratio of output energy received from storage to input energy supplied to it.