The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) has provided significant relief to renewable energy developers by allowing the adjustment of solar power generated during a delayed open access approval period as deemed banked energy. The order was issued on July 29, 2026, in a petition filed by M/s RDB Green Energy Private Limited and M/s Gupta Infrastructure Private Limited against Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL) and Chhattisgarh State Power Transmission Company Limited (CSPTCL).
The case involved a 4.20 MW (AC) solar power project operated by RDB Green Energy in Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district of Chhattisgarh. The entire electricity generated from the project was supplied to Gupta Infrastructure through Long Term Open Access (LTOA). The solar plant was synchronized with the grid on November 13, 2024.
However, due to procedural requirements, including obtaining exemption from maintaining a dedicated feeder and installation of an Availability Based Tariff (ABT) meter, the formal LTOA approval was issued only on April 25, 2025. The ABT meter was installed on March 29, 2025. During the period between grid synchronization and open access approval, the plant injected around 4,018,316 units of electricity into the grid, but the generated energy did not receive any billing adjustment.
The developers approached CSERC seeking recognition of this injected electricity as deemed banked energy. They requested adjustment of these units against future electricity bills or, alternatively, payment of compensation with interest for the unused energy.
CSPDCL opposed the petition, arguing that under the CSERC Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Regulations, unused banked energy expires at the end of the applicable banking cycle. The distribution company also stated that energy injected before installation of the ABT meter could not qualify for banking purposes. CSPTCL maintained that the LTOA approval process was completed after all technical requirements were fulfilled.
After reviewing the matter, the CSERC bench comprising Legal Member Vivek Ganodwale and Technical Member Ajay Kumar Singh observed that both parties had incorrectly interpreted the applicable regulatory provisions. The Commission highlighted Regulation 21.6(v) of the DRE Regulations, including its 2023 amendment, which provides protection to renewable energy generators affected by administrative delays.
According to the Commission, for captive and third-party renewable energy projects, electricity generated between the synchronization date and the date of open access approval must be considered deemed banked energy. The synchronization date is also treated as the Commercial Operation Date (COD).
Based on this provision, CSERC directed that all electricity injected by the solar project during the period between November 13, 2024, and April 25, 2025, should be recognized as banked energy. The Commission allowed adjustment of the energy across the October–December 2024 and January–March 2025 quarters.
Additionally, CSERC permitted the carry forward of unused banked energy from the third quarter of 2024–25 into the fourth quarter, and any remaining units from the fourth quarter into the first quarter of the financial year 2025–26.
However, the Commission rejected the developers’ request for monetary compensation or interest on the unadjusted energy. The relief granted was limited to recognition and carry-forward adjustment of the deemed banked solar power. The ruling is expected to provide clarity for renewable energy developers facing delays caused by regulatory and administrative procedures.
Discover more from SolarQuarter
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
