HERC Rejects Solar Developers’ Plea For PPA Approval, Upholds APTEL Relief Limited To Original Appellants In Haryana

The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) has dismissed a petition filed by solar developers Narender Singh and Yogender Chauhan, who were seeking approval of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with the Haryana Power Purchase Centre at a tariff of ₹2.99 per unit. The order, issued on April 22, 2026, brings an end to a long-standing dispute that dates back more than a decade.

The issue began in 2015 when the Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC) invited bids for 150 MW of solar power projects. The two developers were among those who received Letters of Intent for 5 MW projects each. However, in 2016, HERC refused to approve the PPAs, stating that the bidding process did not follow central guidelines and that the discovered tariff was not aligned with market rates at the time.

After this rejection, six out of the thirteen developers approached the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) to challenge the decision. The present petitioners did not join that appeal. In September 2024, APTEL ruled in favor of the developers who had filed the case and set aside the earlier rejection. Based on this, HERC issued an order in 2025 allowing those successful appellants to sign PPAs at a revised tariff of Rs 2.99 per unit.

Following this development, Narender Singh and Yogender Chauhan approached HERC, claiming they were similarly placed and should also be granted the same relief. They argued that denying them this benefit would be unfair and discriminatory.

However, HPPC opposed their request and described them as “fence-sitters,” stating that they had remained inactive for nearly nine years and had effectively accepted the earlier rejection. HPPC also argued that the APTEL ruling applied only to those developers who had challenged the decision and not to others.

HERC agreed with this view. The Commission stated that the APTEL judgment was applicable only to the parties involved in that case and not to all developers. It also observed that the law supports those who actively pursue their rights in a timely manner.

The Commission further noted that recent solar power bids in early 2026 have discovered even lower tariffs, ranging between ₹2.86 and ₹2.97 per unit. Approving a higher tariff for the petitioners would go against the principle of least-cost power procurement for consumers.

Based on these reasons, HERC dismissed the petition. It also clarified that the developers are free to participate in future competitive bidding processes in Haryana.