The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) has proposed retaining the banking charges of ₹1.5 (~$0.016)/kWh for open access consumers by amending the GERC (Terms & Conditions For Green Energy Open Access) Regulations, 2026.

The proposed banking charges will be applicable until June 30, 2026, or earlier if the Commission revises the charges.

Stakeholders can share their feedback by March 27, 2026.

Gujarat allows daily energy banking for solar projects between 7 am and 6 pm, and monthly energy banking for wind and wind-solar hybrid projects. It also allows banking of 30% of the total monthly power consumption from the distribution company.

However, banking is not permitted for projects under the REC mechanism. Such projects are subject to time-of-day and real-time metering.

The validity period of the earlier-notified banking charges ends in March 2026, prompting the Commission to revise them.

Gujarat retained its fourth-place rank among states in solar open access additions in 2025, accounting for 11.6% of the total.

Despite supportive policies, recent regulatory changes have tempered the near-term attractiveness of open access projects.

The increase in the additional surcharge for open access consumers by ₹0.18 (~$0.002)/kWh, and the continued application of banking charges at ₹1.5 (~$0.016)/kWh, have narrowed developer margins and reduced the cost advantage of open access over grid supply.

The Commission issued an additional surcharge of ₹1 (~$0.011)/kWh, applicable from October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, compared with ₹0.82 (~$0.0096)/kWh, which was in effect from April 1, 2025, to September 30, 2025.

According to Mercom’s Q4 & Annual 2025 India Solar Open Access Market Report, India added 7.8 GW of solar open access capacity in 2025, a largely flat 0.5% year-over-year growth from 7.7 GW. The country’s cumulative installed open-access solar capacity exceeded 30 GW as of December 2025.

At the end of Q4 2025, over 45 GW of open access projects were under development and in the pre-construction phase.