The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) has issued a public notice announcing the draft of the “Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (Renewable Energy and Related Matters) Regulations, 2025.” These regulations are designed to encourage the use of renewable energy across the state by establishing guidelines for the generation, distribution, metering, and billing of electricity from renewable sources. The draft has been released for public consultation, and stakeholders have been invited to submit their objections or suggestions within one month of publication. A public hearing will also be conducted at a later date.
The regulations apply to a wide range of entities including consumers, prosumers, captive users, generating companies, and distribution licensees. The control period for the regulations is set for five years beginning with the financial year 2025–2026. However, certain provisions, especially those relating to energy accounting, billing, and settlement, will come into force from October 1, 2025.
These rules aim to govern various aspects such as tariff determination for renewable energy systems, renewable purchase obligations, energy metering, energy storage, banking, and open access. They cover different types of renewable systems including solar, wind, biomass, biogas, and pumped storage. The regulations will also apply to advanced systems like Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Virtual Power Plants (VPP).
Net metering is allowed for agriculture, domestic, and industrial consumers with a minimum capacity of 1 kW and a maximum of 3 kW (AC). This can go up to 5 kW for consumers using hybrid inverters with a minimum of 30% storage. Net billing is open to all consumers with capacity limits up to 500 kW or contract demand, whichever is lower. Gross metering is also permitted with capacities up to 3 MW.
Special provisions have been made for Virtual Net Metering (VNM) and Group Net Metering (GNM) systems. VNM is allowed for residential buildings, government offices, and agricultural consumers, with a minimum plant capacity of 10 kW. GNM allows prosumers to use excess electricity in more than one premises, provided they fall under the same tariff category and distribution area.
The rules also specify technical standards and safety regulations, including adherence to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and IEEE standards. Consumers must ensure no energy is injected into the grid from behind-the-meter systems, and such systems must have reverse power flow protection.
A web-based application system is to be developed for feasibility studies and registrations. The application fee is ₹1,000, while the registration fee is ₹300 per kW. The timeline for approval includes 15 days for feasibility study, 45 days for application submission, and various steps for inspection, testing, agreement signing, and meter installation within 15 days of approval.
These regulations reflect KSERC’s commitment to enabling energy transition, enhancing grid reliability, and ensuring consumer-friendly processes for adopting renewable energy in Kerala.
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