MERC (Distribution and Transmission Open Access), 1st Amendment, June 2019
MERC issued 1st Amendment to Distribution Open Access (DOA) Regulations and Transmission Open Access Regulations (TOA). The summary of the proposed amendments is:
- Consumers intending to have Roof-Top Solar Photo Voltaic Systems can simultaneously avail open access under these Regulations subject to condition that in such cases, the credit for solar generation shall be adjusted on Gross metering basis for such period for which open access is availed by the Consumer.
- Long term open access period changed from ‘exceeding 12 years’ to ‘exceeding 7 years’.
- In order to discourage repeated short term open access (STOA) transactions, the applicable STOA transmission charges will be increased by a multiplication factor of 1.25, 1.5 and 2.0 respectively for every 2nd, 3rd and 4th STOA transaction during financial year beyond which the transmission charges for STOA shall be twice the approved STOA transmission charges.
- For renewable energy based MTOA and LTOA transactions, the applicable transmission charges will be twice the STOA transaction.
- The priority for adjustment of energy drawl by an open access consumer from different sources shall be- Renewable Energy Generators, Captive Generating Plant, Banked Energy, Long term Bilateral purchase, Medium term open access, Short term inter-State open access including power exchange transactions, Short term intra – State Open access, Distribution Licensee
- Banking period reduced from 1 year to 1 month. Provided further that the energy banked during peak TOD slots may also be drawn during off-peak TOD slots, but the energy banked during off-peak TOD slots may not be drawn during peak TOD slots.
- The unutilised banked energy at the end of the month is also limited to 10% of the actual total generation by RE generator in such month