The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) has released a draft amendment to revise certain provisions of the state’s Green Energy Open Access framework. The proposed regulation, titled the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for Green Energy Open Access) (Fifth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, aims to update the existing rules governing the distribution, transmission, and utilization of renewable energy through open access mechanisms across Gujarat.
Issued from the commission’s headquarters in Gandhinagar, the draft regulation has been framed under the powers granted to the state regulator through various provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003. The amendment seeks to modify specific clauses of the principal regulations that were originally notified in 2024. Once finalized and published in the Official Gazette, the new provisions will become applicable across the entire state, impacting renewable energy generators, distribution companies, and consumers availing green energy through open access arrangements.
One of the key changes proposed in the draft relates to banking charges associated with renewable energy. Banking is a mechanism that allows renewable energy generators or consumers to inject surplus electricity into the grid and utilize it at a later stage. The commission has proposed revising the existing provisions governing these charges by substituting the current text under Regulation 1(4) of the Principal Regulations.
According to the draft, the banking charges specified under Regulation 17.6 will come into effect from the date the amendment regulations are officially notified. The commission has proposed that these charges remain applicable until August 31, 2026. However, the validity period may be shortened if the commission issues a separate notification revising the charges before that date.
The amendment also introduces specific changes to Regulation 17.6(viii), which outlines the financial terms applicable to the banking facility. Under the proposed framework, the banking charge has been fixed at Rs. 1.50 per unit. This rate will apply from the date of publication of the amendment regulations and continue until August 31, 2026, unless superseded by a subsequent notification issued by the commission.
Beyond this period, the draft clarifies that banking charges will no longer be governed by a fixed rate specified in the regulation. Instead, the applicable charges for future periods will be determined separately through notifications and regulations issued by the commission from time to time. This approach is expected to provide the regulator with greater flexibility in adjusting banking charges in line with evolving market conditions and policy requirements.
The draft amendment, signed by GERC Secretary Ranjeeth Kumar J., marks another step in the state’s efforts to refine its green energy open access framework and streamline the management of renewable energy banking facilities in Gujarat.
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