PSERC Outlines Intra-State Open Access Regulations, Backing Green Energy

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The proposed Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) (Terms and Conditions for Intra-State Open Access) (10th Amendment) Regulations, 2022, have been made public by the PSERC

A number of elements to support renewable open access in the state and increase renewable adoption in the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector are included in the regulations.

According to the Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2022, only customers with a sanctioned contract demand of 100 kVA or above would be permitted to purchase electricity through open access. For a captive consumer using green energy open access, there must be no demand cap.

The consumer must pay Rs. 35/kVA per month in commitment costs on the capacity (in kVA) whenever an open-access customer and the distribution firm (DISCOM) have a standby power agreement.

Open access to green energy consumers have the option of purchasing standby power for up to 80 days for Rs. 60/kVA per month or up to 60 days for Rs. 50/kVA per month.

For users with open access to green energy, the fixed charges and energy costs will be 1.25 times the applicable consumer tariff category corresponding to the demand slab of the total standby and sanctioned contract demand.

Power can be banked throughout the year under the conditions that are periodically approved by the Commission, subject to payment of banking fees to make up for the extra expense on this account.

Green energy open access customers are only allowed to bank up to 30% of the entire amount of power they use each month from DISCOM. Further, during the peak seasonal period from June 1 to September 30 and during peak load hours, withdrawal of stored energy is not permitted.

However, at the conclusion of the fiscal year, any banked energy that has not been used will expire; no compensation will be given for such expired banked energy.

For a period of 12 years from the project’s start date, consumers who buy energy from renewable projects won’t have to pay a surcharge that increases by more than 50%. Additionally, if green energy is utilized to create green hydrogen and green ammonia, the fee won’t be charged.

If the consumer has obtained DISCOM clearance, the power supply to open-access consumers can be over the authorized contact demand.

The planned entitlement as an open-access customer will be adjusted out of the recorded drawal, and the remaining amount will be used against the consumer’s authorized contract demand.

If a consumer’s recorded drawal exceeds the permitted drawal or the authorized contract demand, the consumer is required to pay a daily demand surcharge in accordance with the appropriate temporary supply schedule for the relevant category.