The central government has notified the Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2022.
These rules have been notified for promoting generation, purchase, and consumption of green energy including the energy from waste-to-energy plants. The rules enable simplified procedure for open access (OA) to green power. It will enable faster approval of green OA, uniform banking, voluntary purchase of renewable power by commercial and industrial consumers, and applicability of OA charges, among others. The green OA is allowed to any consumer and the limit of OA transaction has been reduced from 1 MW to 100 kW for green energy, to enable small consumers to purchase renewable power through OA. Further, it provides for transparency in the approval process of the OA application. Approval is to be granted in 15 days, else it will be deemed to have been approved subject to fulfillment of technical requirements. The tariff for the green energy will be determined separately by the appropriate Commission, which will comprise the average pooled power purchase cost of the renewable energy, cross-subsidy charges if any, and service charges covering the prudent cost of the distribution licensee for providing the green energy to the consumers. Further, banking of surplus green energy with the distribution licensee has been mandated. Cross subsidy surcharge and additional surcharge will not be applicable if green energy is utilised for the production of green hydrogen and green ammonia, among other features.
Click here to download the rules