GERC Examines Petition Seeking Extension For Delayed Power Evacuation Infrastructure In Gujarat

A major regulatory case is currently under consideration by the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) involving Kintech Solarbikaner Private Limited and the Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Limited (GETCO). The case, registered as Petition No. 2535 of 2025, centers on Kintech’s request for an extension of the time period allowed to complete its power evacuation infrastructure and a plea to set aside a letter issued by GETCO on July 7, 2025. The petitioner argues that the project delays occurred due to factors beyond their control, citing several bureaucratic and logistical challenges that hindered progress.

Kintech Solarbikaner Private Limited, the petitioner, is developing power evacuation facilities essential for connecting its solar power project to the grid. The company has presented its case before the Commission, emphasizing that the delay was not due to negligence or lack of effort but rather to procedural bottlenecks and external circumstances. According to the petition, the company has detailed three distinct phases of delay, each linked to a specific regulatory or operational obstacle, for which it is seeking an extension from GERC under the relevant provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003.

The first delay cited by Kintech involves the time taken by GETCO to issue drawing approval for the proposed infrastructure. This approval is an essential precondition for moving forward with construction and technical execution. Kintech stated that it had submitted all necessary documents and technical drawings in time, but GETCO took thirty-two days to grant approval, from June 18, 2025, to July 19, 2025. The company has therefore requested that the Commission recognize this period as a justified delay and grant a corresponding thirty-two-day extension to its project completion schedule.

The second cause of delay, as outlined in the petition, was the time consumed in obtaining statutory clearances under Sections 68 and 164 of the Electricity Act, which are mandatory for establishing transmission lines. These approvals are critical for granting legal authority to lay and maintain transmission infrastructure. Kintech reported that the approval process extended over seventy-eight days, from May 10, 2025, until July 25, 2025. The company argues that this delay was entirely procedural and beyond its control, and thus should also be accounted for in the extension period sought before the Commission.

The third and most significant obstacle identified by Kintech relates to Right of Way (ROW) issues. The company explained that difficulties in securing the ROW for its transmission lines had persisted for an extended period. These issues reportedly began on July 30, 2025, and were still unresolved as of November 2, 2025, amounting to a delay of ninety-six days. ROW disputes typically involve negotiations with landowners and local authorities and can significantly slow project execution.

Kintech has urged GERC to acknowledge these three cumulative delays as legitimate grounds for extending its project timeline. The company contends that it has been proactive in complying with all requirements but faced unavoidable delays in official clearances and field-level permissions. The Commission will now assess the validity of the claims, the role of GETCO in the alleged delays, and determine whether the requested extension and cancellation of the July 7, 2025 letter are justified under regulatory provisions.