Several important renewable energy policies especially in solar were announced last month in India. Notable news was the Rewa payment guarantee announcement from Madhya Pradesh.

State Agencies

The Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL) suspended the approval of all renewable energy (wind, solar) projects under the REC Mechanism in Rajasthan.

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) set ₹3.74 (~$0.058)/kWh as the generic tariff for wind projects in Karnataka. The new benchmark tariff will apply through March 31, 2018.

The Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited (MPPMCL) cancelled power purchase agreements (PPAs) for two, 50 MW solar projects in Madhya Pradesh.

The state cabinet of the Government of Madhya Pradesh approved a payment guarantee for solar project developers in the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar (RUMS) park.

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) fixed the pooled cost of power purchases for the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) at ₹3.70 (~$0.056)/kWh for the financial year (FY) 2017-18. The cost applies to all purchases made after April 1, 2017.

Central

In a recent cabinet shuffle, Piyush Goyal was promoted to the position of Minister of Railways and Coal while Raj Kumar Singh took over as the Minister of Power. For Goyal, this change marked the end of his three-year tenure at the helm of both the Power Ministry and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched a new program called Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) to electrify all willing households in India in both rural and urban areas using solar power.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has set the national average power purchase cost (APPC) at ₹3.48 (~$0.0542)/kWh, barring a few states for open access. According to CERC, the APPC will apply during the financial year (FY) 2017-18 and until further orders for deviation settlement with respect to open access.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

The MNRE has issued the Solar Photovoltaics, Systems, Devices, and Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2017, with an eye toward quality project development in the sector.

The MNRE has amended the guidelines for implementing the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) program for solar under the National Solar Mission (NSM) Phase-II Batch-IV.

The MNRE has issued a clarification for direct current (DC) system configurations applicable to off-grid and grid-connected solar  photovoltaic (PV) applications.

Anti-Dumping

The office of the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) has sampled the solar modules and cells exported by 17 companies from China, Taiwan, and Malaysia as part of its ongoing solar anti-dumping investigation in India.

Read our previous policy roundup here.