The Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission (MSERC) has introduced new provisions on the sale of power, open access, obligations and duties of renewable energy-based generating stations, and tariff structure for renewable energy technologies.

The (Terms and Conditions for Determination of Tariff for Generation from Renewable Energy Sources) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2025, seek to amend Chapter 4 of the principal regulations, which deal with general conditions.

The Commission has proposed inserting additional regulations governing the sale of power, open access, and the obligations of renewable-energy-based generating stations.

Sale of Power

Under the proposed Regulation 4B, all renewable energy-based generating stations will be allowed to sell power to the distribution licensee at rates determined by the Commission.

They may also sell power to consumers allowed open access under the applicable regulations, or to any person within or outside the state at mutually agreed rates.

However, the sale outside the state must not violate any policy notified by the state government.

The draft also states that when an offer is made by a renewable energy-based generating station, the distribution licensee must enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) in conformity with the regulations, the Electricity Act, and relevant policies.

The distribution licensee must apply to the Commission for approval of the PPA before signing it with the generating station. The PPA must be executed for the entire tariff period.

The Commission has proposed a detailed open-access framework for renewable-energy-based generating stations.

Open Access

Under proposed Regulation 4C, open access in the state transmission and distribution system will be available to all renewable energy-based generating stations for captive use and to those covered under the sale of power provisions.

An entity that has established a renewable energy-based generating project will have the right to open access to the state transmission system for carrying electricity from its project by using transmission lines and associated facilities in accordance with the Commission’s open access regulations, subject to payment of transmission charges and adjustment of average transmission losses.

The availability of open access will depend on surplus transmission capacity as determined by the State Transmission Utility.

For open access in the distribution system, access will be available for the sale of electricity within the state to renewable energy-based generating stations and projects that have entered into agreements to sell power to consumers within the state or require power for captive use.

Open access to the state distribution system may also be available for the sale of electricity outside the state by renewable energy-based or cogeneration stations, provided the distribution licensee agrees to wheel such power through its system.

This will be subject to the Commission’s open access regulations, payment of wheeling charges, and adjustment of average distribution losses.

Open access to the distribution system will be subject to the availability of surplus distribution capacity. If any question arises regarding the availability of surplus capacity in the state transmission or distribution system, the Commission will decide the matter.

Obligations of the Generating Station

The proposed Regulation 4D states that these stations will be required to submit information on generation, demand met, capacity availability, capacity utilization factor, auxiliary consumption, specific heat rate, specific oil consumption, and other parameters.

They must establish communication and data transfer systems with the State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) and coordinate with it on scheduling, exchange of electricity transmission data, real-time grid operations, and dispatch in accordance with the State Grid Code Regulations.

The draft requires renewable energy-based generating stations to maintain grid discipline, install adequate protection equipment for system and human safety, comply with the State Grid Code Regulations, follow directions issued by the Commission, pay fees and charges to the SLDC, and comply with directions issued by the SLDC.

The Commission has also proposed that the tariff for the sale of energy from renewable energy technologies will be a single-part tariff in ₹/kWh, ex-bus, consisting of fixed-cost components.

This March, MSERC issued draft regulations to govern grid-interactive distributed renewable energy systems in the state.

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