The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) has issued an order on November 24, 2025, in Petition No. 46 of 2025 filed by M/s Polybond Projects Pvt. Ltd. The petition requested exemption from the requirement to have a dedicated feeder to avail open access for solar power under clause 5(5) of CSERC Connectivity and Intra-State Open Access Regulations, 2011. Polybond Projects Pvt. Ltd., located in Borai, Rasmara in District Durg, uses 490 kVA of electricity at 33 kV supply from the Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL) through a 33 kV feeder originating from the Rasmara substation. The company manufactures industrial insulation products and also has a 1.5 MW solar power project for captive use at Ghughwa, District Rajnandgaon.
The solar project is part of the Abhiyanta Solar and Electronic Park developed by M/s Polybond Rock Fibre Pvt. Ltd. Solar power from all beneficiaries at the park will be pooled and injected through a dedicated 33 kV feeder to the Bijabhata substation of CSPDCL. The plant had been expected to be synchronized and commissioned in September 2025. The petitioner submitted that its captive power draw would be very small, making a dedicated feeder impractical. It referred to provisions allowing the Commission to provide exemptions to bulk consumers from dedicated feeder requirements with load restrictions. Polybond stated it was ready to install metering and data communication equipment, ensure online data availability to SLDC, and agree to load restrictions if required.
CSPDCL informed the Commission that as per the regulations, open access is normally permitted to users connected through a dedicated feeder, but exemptions may be granted by the Commission. CSPDCL supported considering the exemption, subject to conditions such as installation of ABT meters with AMR and RTU facilities for online communication at the drawl point, and acceptance of no claims in case of shutdown or failure of the multi-consumer feeder through which the petitioner takes supply. The petitioner must also submit an undertaking regarding these conditions. CSPDCL submitted a technical feasibility report related to the 33 kV Nagpura feeder.
The Chhattisgarh State Power Transmission Company Limited (CSPTCL) also stated that it had no objection to granting the exemption, subject to similar requirements. CSPTCL confirmed that power transmission between Bijabhata and Rasmara substations is feasible and that open access can be granted under applicable regulations if conditions are met.
The Commission considered the submissions and noted that exemptions may be granted in appropriate cases. The petitioner agreed to fulfil the conditions. However, regarding the request for exemption from installing the RTU at the drawl end citing financial hardship, the Commission rejected it. It stated that data communication is essential and referred to Regulation 7.4, which exempts only solar plants up to 500 kW from RTU installation. Since the petitioner’s system is 1.5 MW, exemption was not allowed, and the petitioner was found to have misinterpreted the clause.
The Commission ruled to exempt the petitioner from having a dedicated feeder for open access use, subject to conditions placed by the distribution and transmission companies, including installation of an RTU for communication with the SLDC.
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