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The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (Transmission Open Access) Regulations, 2016

HIGHLIGHTS

 

Eligibility to seek Open Access

  • Generating company which owns or operates or intends to own or operate a generating station in Maharashtra.
  • Distribution licensee, trading licensee.
  • Consumer having Contract Demand of 1 MW and above with a distribution licensee.

a) Generating plants or stations, including captive generating plants.

b) Trading licensees.

c) Power exchanges.

d) Other distribution licensees.

Connectivity charges and procedure

  • The applicant shall apply to the STU for connectivity.
  • A consumer having a load of 5 MW or more, and a generating station having a capacity of 5 MW or more, shall be eligible to obtain connectivity to the intra-state transmission system.
  • Generating station with an installed capacity below 5 MW may also obtain connectivity to the intra-state transmission system, if technically feasible.
  • Rupees one lakh, non-refundable fee (for renewable).
  • The cost of creation or augmentation of infrastructure for a renewable energy generating station shall be borne by the renewable energy generating company or distribution licensee or STU.

Nodal Agency

  • For Long Term and Medium Term Open Access - grant of connectivity to the intra-state transmission system shall be the STU. 
  • For grant of connectivity to the intra-state transmission system, the nodal agency for short-term open access shall be the MSLDC. 
  • For grant of connectivity and open access to the inter-state transmission system shall be as specified by the Central Commission. 
  • Where a consumer connected to the transmission system seeks intra-state transmission Open Access, charges payable to the concerned distribution licensee shall be made by the consumer to the distribution licensee in whose area he is located.

Procedure and Charges for Long Term Open Access

  • Applicability: Open Access for 12 years but not exceeding 25 years.
  • Applicant shall apply to nodal agency as per location of injection and drawal point as given in table below.

Location of Injection and Drawal Point

Nodal Agency

Time Frame for Processing the Application

Both within Maharashtra.

STU

One hundred and twenty days where augmentation of distribution system is not required.

One hundred and eighty days where augmentation of distribution system is required.

If either is outside Maharashtra

CTU

  • A bank guarantee of Rs.5,000/MW in favour of the nodal agency.
  • The applicant, STU and the transmission licensee shall thereafter enter into a BPTA for Long Term Open Access in accordance with these Regulations.

Procedure and Charges for Medium Term Open Access

  • Applicability: Open access exceeding 3 months but not more than 3 years.
  • Applicant shall apply to nodal agency as per location of injection and drawal point as given in table below.

Location of Injection and Drawal Point

Nodal Agency

Time Frame for Processing the Application

Both within Maharashtra.

STU

Sixty days.

If either is outside the state

CTU

  • The application shall be made to the nodal agency between 3 months and 12 months prior to the intended commencement of open access.

Procedure and Charges for Short Term Open Access

  • Applicability: Open access for period not exceeding 1 month at a time.
  • Applicant shall apply to nodal agency as per location of injection and drawal point as given in table below.

Location of Injection and Drawal Point

Nodal Agency

Time Frame for Processing the Application

Both within Maharashtra.

MSLDC

10 days

Injection within Maharashtra, drawal outside Maharashtra.

RLDC where consumer is located

Injection outside Maharashtra, drawal within Maharashtra.

RLDC

 

Injected at transmission system within Maharashtra and selling power to exchange.

MSLDC

Drawal within Maharashtra and availing power from exchange.

MSLDC

  • The application may be made up to four months prior to the month of commencement of Short Term Open Access, but not later than the tenth day of the preceding month.
  • In case the nodal agency anticipates congestion, it may invite electronic bids as per the Bidding Procedure for Advance Scheduling after the last date for submission of applications.
  • Day-ahead open access of distribution system(s) shall be permitted only if surplus capacity is available in the concerned distribution licensee’s system. The application for grant of day-ahead open access shall be made to the nodal agency only one day prior to the date of scheduling, up to 1200 hours.
  • Non-utilisation of Short Term Open Access: Consumer shall inform the nodal agency if it unable to utilize the full capacity for more than 4 hours and shall surrender the same by paying transmission fees for original capacity and term contracted.

 

OTHER PROVISIONS

 

Allotment priority

  • Priority 1 – Highest Priority: Distribution licensee (irrespective of whether Open Access sought is for long-term, medium-term or short-term).
  • Priority 2 - Other Long Term Open Access applicants.
  • Priority 3 - Other Medium Term Open Access applicants.
  • Priority 4 – Lowest Priority: Other Short Term Open Access applicants.

Open Access charges

  • The bills shall be issued monthly, and shall be payable within such period as may be specified in the Electricity Supply Code.
  • The distribution licensee shall pay the transmission licensee, MSLDC and any other entity, all the charges collected on their behalf from the Open Access consumer, generating station or licensee within seven days.

Transmission Charges:

  • Transmission system user shall pay the following charges to the nodal agency:

a) For use of the inter-state transmission system.

b) For use of the intra-state transmission system.

  • The charges for the use of the intra-state transmission system shall be determined and settled monthly.
  • A transmission system user availing Open Access shall also be liable to pay an additional regulatory charge at the rate of twenty-five percent (25%) of the transmission charges for the use of an intra-state transmission system in excess of its transmission capacity rights.
  • A consumer who has a supply contract with a distribution licensee but is connected to the intra-state transmission system shall also be liable to pay cross subsidy surcharge and additional surcharge, as may be applicable.

Scheduling and System Operation Charges :

Scheduling and system operation charges shall be payable by the transmission system users availing Open Access at the rates set out below:

 

·        For Inter-state Open Access:

 

a) RLDC fees and charges.

b) MSLDC fees and charges.

 

  • For Intra-state Open Access:

 

The MSLDC fees and charges payable by the distribution licensee shall be shared by the transmission system users availing Long Term and Medium Term Open Access in the ratio of scheduled demand of open access sought to the total demand of distribution licensee on a pro-rata basis.

Scheduling and Metering

Scheduling:

  • The scheduling of inter-state open access transactions shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Electricity Grid Code.
  • A renewable energy generating plant identified as ‘non-firm power’ under the Commission’s Regulations governing Renewable Energy Tariff shall be exempted from scheduling till such time as the Commission stipulates or specifies otherwise.

Metering:

  • All open access consumers and generating stations, irrespective of their capacity, shall install Special Energy Meters (SEMs)

Energy losses

  • Inter-state Open Access: LTOA and MTOA - The buyer of electricity shall bear the approved intra-state transmission losses.
  • STOA: The open access buyer and seller of electricity shall bear the apportioned energy losses in the transmission system.
  • Intra-state Transmission: The buyer of electricity shall bear the approved intra-state transmission losses determined by the Commission from time to time.
  • Transmission Losses: For MSEDCL - 3.92%. (FY 2016-17)

Imbalance and Reactive Energy charges

  • Deviations between the scheduled and the actual injection/drawal in respect of an Open Access consumer shall be treated in accordance with the methodology and charges specified in the Regulations of the Commission governing Distribution Open Access.

Reactive Energy Charges:

  • The reactive energy charges in respect of renewable energy generating stations shall be in accordance with the charges approved by the Commission in its relevant Tariff Orders.

Link

 http://mercindia.org.in/Regulations.htm

Reference

MERC (Transmission Open Access) Regulations, 2016: http://www.mercindia.org.in/pdf/Order%2058%2042/TOA%20Regulations%202016%20English.pdf

 

 

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