MPERC Issues Sixth Amendment To Open Access Regulations 2021 In Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (MPERC) has issued the sixth amendment to its existing Open Access Regulations, marking a significant update to the rules governing intra-state electricity access in the state. The amended regulations, titled “Sixth Amendment to Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for Intra-State Open Access in Madhya Pradesh) (Revision-I) Regulations, 2021,” will come into effect from the date of their publication in the Madhya Pradesh Gazette and will apply across the entire state.

The core change in this amendment focuses on Regulation 13.2 of the Principal Regulations, which addresses the application process and operational conditions for consumers seeking open access. Under the revised rules, all eligible consumers with a contract demand with their distribution licensee must explicitly indicate in their application whether they intend to avail open access up to their existing contract demand or beyond it. This distinction is critical because it directly affects how billing and settlement will be calculated for the consumer.

For consumers granted open access up to their contracted demand, the amendment clarifies that only the energy consumed under open access will be adjusted in the total energy recorded by their billing meter. The open access supply will not impact the billing demand, which remains based on the consumer’s contracted demand with the distribution licensee. Essentially, this ensures that demand-related charges continue to be calculated on the contracted demand, while the energy portion of the bill reflects open access consumption.

Another important provision in the amended regulation concerns customers who inject power into the grid. These customers are now required to make reasonable efforts to ensure that their actual sent-out capacity at any interconnection point does not exceed the capacity specified for that point. This measure is aimed at maintaining grid stability and ensuring adherence to agreed-upon power injection limits.

The amendment also emphasizes strict compliance by distribution licensees with several existing codes and regulations for balancing and settlement purposes. These include the Balancing and Settlement Code, MPERC’s Regulations on Forecasting, Scheduling, Deviation Settlement Mechanism for Wind and Solar Generating Stations (2018), and the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Grid Code (2019), including all amendments. By mandating adherence to these codes, MPERC aims to standardize the technical and commercial operations related to open access while ensuring consistency with the broader regulatory framework.

Overall, the sixth amendment to the MPERC Open Access Regulations provides greater clarity on the application process, billing mechanisms, and operational responsibilities for open access consumers. It reinforces grid stability, standardizes energy and demand settlements, and strengthens compliance with existing regulatory standards, ensuring a more structured and transparent framework for intra-state electricity access in Madhya Pradesh.