Consumers with a minimum contracted demand or sanctioned load of 100 kW can access Green Energy Open Access, according to the Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions of Green Energy Open Access) Regulations, 2023.

There is no maximum power supply limit for captive consumers.

The regulations align with the green energy open access rules issued by the Ministry of Power last June.

Eligibility

The extent of open access granted is contingent on the voltage level at which the consumer is connected:

• At 11 kV, open access is available for 100 kW to less than 2 MW.
• At 33 kV, open access ranges from 2 MW to less than 5 MW.
• For connections at 33 kV and above, open access exceeds 5 MW, categorizing the consumer as a user of the intrastate transmission network.

Open access must be for at least 12 consecutive 15-minute blocks per day. During these blocks, the quantity of power accessed must not vary. If the power exchange does not clear the open access bids for these blocks, the power used during this time will be deemed supplied by the distribution utility.

If connected through an independent feeder from a grid substation, consumers can obtain open access. If multiple consumers on a single independent feeder wish to seek open access, they may apply collectively through a nominated group representative. This collective must have the infrastructure for time block-wise energy metering and accounting.

Each consumer must pay the application fee and State Load Dispatch Center (SLDC) charges unless they opt for a single-point connection. In this case, the group is treated as a single consumer for scheduling, metering, billing, and application fees, with billing based on an ABT meter at the substation.

Consumers with a contracted demand of 100 kW or more who are not on independent feeders may be granted open access, subject to the serving distribution licensee’s system constraints and power cut restrictions. Underdrawal due to power cuts will not be compensated.

The minimum power scheduled for sale or procurement during any time block must not be less than 100 kW.

Consumers ineligible for open access include those declared insolvent or bankrupt, those with outstanding dues for more than two months, or those with pending cases of unauthorized electricity use or theft.

The maximum permissible draw during any time block for green energy open access (GEOA) consumers is the difference between their sanctioned contract demand and their scheduled entitlement.

Appropriate communication systems must be in place for seamless data transfer between the GEOA consumer or generating station and relevant agencies, depending on the voltage level of connectivity.

Data from generators with a collective capacity of 1 MW and above will be used by the State Nodal Agency, i.e., SLDC, for energy accounting and real-time grid management.

Categorization of Green Energy Open Access

GEOA consumers are categorized based on how long they use the intra-state transmission or distribution system.

Long-term open access refers to the permission to utilize the state’s transmission and distribution system for three or more years.

Medium-term refers to the permission to utilize the state’s transmission and distribution system for over three months but less than three years.

Short-term refers to the permission to utilize the state’s transmission and distribution system for one month at a time.

Short-term open access consumers can reapply for new entitlements after their current term expires, subject to availability. Priority for such entitlements will be based on the application date.

Nodal Agency

The Central Government has designated the Grid Controller of India (GRID India) as the central nodal agency responsible for establishing and managing a unified system for green energy open access to renewable energy.

To grant green energy open access on a short-term basis (up to one month), SLDC will serve as the state nodal agency for consumers connected at 33 kV and above. The distribution licensee will handle this role for consumers connected at 11 kV and below.

For medium-term (three months to three years) and long-term (more than three years) open access, the State Transmission Utility (STU) will act as the Nodal Agency.

All applications concerning connectivity and green energy open access will be received and processed at the STU headquarters, following the methods and formats established by the STU. These procedures can be modified based on those developed by GRID India to provide open access to green energy.

Procedure for Granting Green Energy Open Access

The State Nodal Agency will draft detailed procedures for connectivity and Green Energy Open Access, including application formats and applicable bank guarantees, fees, and charges. These procedures must be prepared within 30 days from the regulation notification date and submitted to this Commission for approval.

Applications for Green Energy Open Access must be completed in full and submitted through the portal established by the Central Nodal Agency. These applications will then be directed to the appropriate State Nodal Agency for processing as the Commission determines.

The State Nodal Agency must issue written approval for Green Energy Open Access applications within fifteen days of receiving a complete connectivity/open access application. If the agency fails to meet this deadline, the application will be considered approved, provided it meets the technical requirements specified by the Commission. The applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Short-term and medium-term open access will be granted if the transmission system has enough spare capacity without the need for augmentation. For long-term open access, the system may be augmented as necessary.

Priority will be given to long-term access if spare capacity exists, and green energy sources will precede fossil fuels for open access. In cases of congestion, curtailment of green energy sources will occur only after fossil fuel sources have been curtailed. The assessment of available transmission capacity for open access will adhere to the congestion relief methodology outlined in the CERC Regulations 2009.

No application for open access will be denied without first giving the applicant a chance to be heard. All decisions to restrict or deny open access must be detailed in a formal order.

Appeals against decisions made by the State Nodal Agency can be made to the Commission within thirty days of receiving the decision.

The Commission will resolve appeals within three months, and its decisions will be binding on all parties involved.

Banking

GEOA consumers will be provided with a banking facility, allowing surplus energy to be banked with the distribution licensee after offsets are applied.

The injection of surplus energy and the withdrawal of banked energy will be subject to scheduling requirements.

Banking charges will be adjusted at 8% of the energy banked, deducted in kind.

Energy banking will be allowed on at least a monthly basis upon the payment of banking charges to the distribution licensee. Credits from banked energy must be used within the same banking cycle and adjusted according to the energy levels injected during specific Time of Day (ToD) periods as defined by the Commission in its tariff orders for the distribution licensee.

Energy banked during peak ToD periods can be used in both peak and off-peak periods, subject to banking charges as outlined. Conversely, energy banked during off-peak periods may only be utilized during off-peak times.

Additionally, at the end of each financial year, the licensee will reconcile the banking charges collected based on the actual cost of power purchased to cover banked energy withdrawals and any extra costs will be addressed through a separate application along with the retail supply tariff truing up petition for the subsequent financial year.

Any unused surplus energy at the end of each banking cycle will be considered forfeited. However, the renewable energy generating station will be entitled to renewable energy certificates for this unutilized energy.

The Nodal agency, as the case may be, will also give green energy certificate yearly to the consumers for the green energy supplied by the licensee to the consumer on his request beyond the renewable purchase obligation of the consumers.

Open Access Charges

Transmission charges

The Central Commission will determine the charges for using the inter-state transmission system, which will be subject to changes over time.

The Commission sets charges for using the intra-state transmission system in the Transmission Tariff Orders and can vary over time.

If an open access consumer uses a dedicated transmission system built by a transmission licensee exclusively for their use, the charges for this system are calculated by the licensee and approved by the Commission.

Initially, these charges are solely the responsibility of the open access consumer until any surplus capacity is allocated to others. Once surplus capacity is allocated to other consumers, the charges are shared proportionally based on the allocation ratio.

If the transmission licensee uses this surplus capacity for other purposes, the charges to the open access consumer are reduced accordingly.

Transmission charges do not apply if dedicated lines constructed by a generator are used to supply a GEOA Consumer.

In addition to transmission charges, intra-state transmission losses that apply to GEOA consumers are also determined and notified by the SLDC according to applicable regulations.

Wheeling Charges

Wheeling charges for GEOA consumers are set by the Commission and updated periodically in the retail supply tariff order.

If a distribution licensee constructs a dedicated distribution system for exclusive use by an open access consumer, the wheeling charges for this system are determined by the distribution licensee and approved by the Commission. Initially, these charges are entirely borne by the open access consumer until any surplus capacity is allocated to others.

After surplus capacity is allocated to other open access consumers, the charges are distributed proportionately based on the allocation ratio.

If the distribution licensee uses this surplus capacity for other purposes, the charges for the open access consumer are reduced accordingly.

Wheeling charges do not apply if dedicated lines built by a generator are used to supply an open access consumer.

In addition to wheeling charges, wheeling losses applicable to GEOA consumers are also determined and updated in the Retail Supply Tariff order issued by the Commission.

Cross Subsidy Surcharge

The Commission sets the cross-subsidy surcharge imposed on GEOA consumers through its retail supply tariff order.

GEOA consumers must pay the applicable cross-subsidy surcharge based on the actual energy consumed during the month through open access. This payment is made to the distribution licensee from whom the consumer procured the supply before opting for open access.

Cross subsidy surcharge is not applicable if the consumer utilizes green power from a captive generation plant established for self-use. It’s also waived if the GEOA consumer sources power from a non-fossil fuel-based waste-to-energy project.

Additionally, it’s not imposed when green energy is used to produce green hydrogen and green ammonia.

The surcharge for GEOA consumers purchasing green energy from renewable sources cannot exceed 50% of the fixed cross-subsidy surcharge for twelve years from the commissioning date of the renewable energy project.

The cross-subsidy surcharge cannot exceed 20% of the average cost of supply.

The Commission determines the additional surcharge imposed on GEOA consumers through its retail supply tariff order.

GEOA consumers must pay the additional surcharge based on the actual energy consumed during the month through open access. This payment is made to the Distribution Licensee from whom the consumer previously obtained supply before opting for open access.

The additional surcharge is not applicable if the consumer is already paying fixed charges. It’s also waived if the consumer sources green power from a captive generation plant for self-use. It’s not imposed when the consumer avails power from a non-fossil fuel-based Waste-to-Energy Plant.

The additional surcharge is also not applicable if green energy drawn through open access is used to produce green hydrogen and green ammonia. Furthermore, it’s not applicable if green energy is supplied from offshore wind projects commissioned up to December 2025.

Other charges include applicable SLDC charges, scheduling charges, and renewable deviation settlement charges.

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