The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) has admitted a joint petition filed by the state’s two electricity distribution companies seeking regulatory clarity on the pricing and treatment of energy imported under the PM-KUSUM Scheme. The order was passed on October 7, 2026, in Case No. 41/2026.
The petition has been filed jointly by North Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd. (NBPDCL) and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd. (SBPDCL). The distribution companies have approached the Commission seeking specific directions on how imported energy should be treated and which tariff should be applied under the existing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed with Solar Power Developers (SPDs).
The PPAs relate to grid-connected solar photovoltaic plants established under Component-C of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Scheme. Component-C focuses on feeder-level solarization, with solar generation intended to support agricultural electricity supply and improve the availability of renewable power for distribution utilities.
During the admission hearing, representatives of NBPDCL and SBPDCL presented their submissions before the commission and requested that the petition be formally admitted for further consideration.
NBPDCL was represented by Chief Engineer (Commercial) Deepak Kumar and Executive Engineer Jayant Kumar Dubey. SBPDCL was represented by Chief Engineer (Commercial) Purushottam Prasad, Executive Engineer Irshad Akhtar, and Assistant Executive Engineer Julie Kumari.
After considering the submissions, BERC decided to admit the matter into its proceedings. However, the commission observed that all concerned respondents must be formally notified and provided an opportunity to submit their responses before the regulatory body takes a final view on the issues raised by the distribution companies.
As part of the proceedings, BERC directed NBPDCL and SBPDCL to serve copies of the petition on all respondents involved in the case. The distribution companies have also been instructed to submit a service report confirming that the petition documents have been delivered.
The BERC Secretariat has separately been directed to issue formal notices to the respondents, requiring them to appear in the subsequent hearing and participate in the proceedings.
The Commission has scheduled the next hearing in Case No. 41/2026 for November 2, 2026, at 11:30 AM. The proceeding will be held at the headquarters of the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission in Patna.
The case could provide regulatory clarity on the tariff treatment of imported energy under PM-KUSUM Component-C projects in Bihar and may have implications for the implementation of feeder-level solarization projects by the state distribution companies.
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