The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has issued the draft (Connectivity and General Network Access to the Inter-State Transmission System) (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2025, introducing key changes to connectivity and network access regulations.

One of the new clauses defines “entities with restricted access” as renewable energy generating stations (REGS) or Energy Storage Systems (ESS) that can inject power only during solar or non-solar hours. “Restricted access” limits entities’ scheduling power injection rights. “Solar hours” refers to specific time blocks determined weekly by the National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC) based on expected solar radiation, while “non-solar hours” include all other time blocks of the same day.

Regulation 5.2(a) requires all additional generation capacity to meet certain conditions. The existing grantee must provide connectivity bank guarantees (Conn-BG1 and Conn-BG3) and inform the scheduled commercial operation date. If the additional capacity falls under REGS (with or without energy storage system -ESS) or ESS (excluding pumped storage projects), its commercial operation date must not exceed 18 months from approval. Entities that applied before this amendment must submit their scheduled commercial operation date within two weeks of its effectiveness. Failure to meet these requirements within a month will result in the revocation of additional capacity approval.

Regulation 5.8 has been amended to mandate renewable power park developers to provide the scheduled commercial operation date before receiving final connectivity approval. It also requires the disclosure of promoter details and shareholding structures.

Regulation 5.11 introduces “entities with restricted access.” A wind-based REGS or ESS can seek connectivity to an interstate transmission system (ISTS) substation with restricted access during non-solar hours (that is, Injection scheduling rights are nil during solar hours). Solar-based REGS or renewable hybrid generating stations (RHGS) combining solar energy with another source, including ESS, will be reclassified as entities with restricted access for their non-solar capacity during non-solar hours.

Before this reclassification, applications for additional capacity under Regulation 5.2 or Regulation 5.11(a) will be considered if submitted within three months of the regulation’s effective date. If the available non-solar hour connectivity is below 50 MW, these REGS or RHGS will not be considered for conversion as restricted access.

Regulation 11(a) now mandates the promoters of a connectivity grantee to retain control before the commercial operation date. They must either hold over 50% of voting shares or have the right to appoint a majority of directors. If no single promoter holds more than 50%, the shareholding pattern must remain unchanged until commercial operation begins. Any other changes in shareholding require prior nodal agency approval and must be reported to the commission within 45 days. Unauthorized changes will result in revoked connectivity and encashment of bank guarantees.

Regulation 19.2 has been amended to specify that the additional general network access (GNA) will apply from specified dates of the respective financial year, with a maximum of four per year. Regulation 24.6 now states that connectivity granted to a renewable power park developer will be revoked if the generating station within the park fails to achieve commercial operation on time.

A new annexure details the conditions for granting connectivity with restricted access under Regulation 5.11(a). Such entities can inject power during non-solar hours, subject to transmission availability, while injection rights during solar hours will be assigned to entities under Regulation 5.11(b) or (c). Agreements can be made for shared transmission access, and injection during solar hours, with one entity designated as the lead generator or a qualified coordinating agency (QCA). Entities will be permitted to draw power from the grid throughout the day, subject to transmission constraints, and must begin commercial operation within 18 months of receiving in-principle connectivity approval.

Entities receiving connectivity through a sub-pooling station must establish a cost-sharing agreement to share a dedicated transmission system. The nodal agency will publish indicative capital costs for different transmission system configurations within 30 days of notification of these Regulations and update the list regularly. If cost-sharing agreements are not reached, charges will be proportionate to connectivity allocation, and the entity must fund any modifications to the dedicated transmission system. Shared dedicated transmission systems will not be included in ISTS transmission charges.

Under Regulation 5.11(b) and (c), entities will have power injection access up to their approved limit during solar hours. During non-solar hours, their access will be limited to non-solar sources, with the remaining capacity allocated to entities under Regulation 5.11(a). These entities can participate in ‘ancillary services’ under CERC regulations and may be directed by the regional load dispatch centre or NLDC to inject power during non-solar hours. Additional generation capacity approvals under Regulation 5.11(a) or 5.2 will be based on submission time.

The nodal agency must publish a list of granted connectivity details within 30 days and update it monthly. This list will include substation-wise data on connectivity approvals and available vacant bays. Entities with pending applications have three months from the regulation’s effective date to apply for non-solar hour access under Regulation 5.11(b).

Entities with restricted access sharing the same ISTS transmission capacity, whether through a separate dedicated transmission system or a shared one, must appoint a lead generator or a QCA under the Grid Code to manage scheduling. The NLDC will announce designated solar and non-solar hours weekly for each state, with potential adjustments within the week due to unforeseen weather conditions.

CERC issued the third amendment draft to the GNA regulations in August last year.

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