Taking cognizance of the disruptions caused by the second surge of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) has issued a notification, stating that rooftop and small solar grid-connected systems with net metering arrangement commissioned up to September 15, 2021, will continue to have the net metering arrangement until the period of connection agreement.

Earlier, the Commission had clarified the net metering facility for rooftop, and small grid-connected solar systems would be valid for projects commissioned up to June 30, 2021.

The Commission had received suggestions from stakeholders to extend the earlier June 30 deadline by three months in view of the Covid-19 crisis and work disruption.

The Commission said that the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation (RREC), in a letter to the Commission, had stated that due to the sudden surge in the Covid-19 pandemic, the commissioning of projects had become increasingly difficult. It would have been difficult for the agency to complete the pending activities within the June 30 time frame.

Citing the example of the 75-day extension granted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for renewable energy projects with commissioning dates between April 1 and June 15, 2021, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, RREC had requested the Commission to extend the timeline for the commissioning of rooftop projects with net metering facility by six months up to December 31, 2021.

The Commission also observed that for implementing the Electricity Amendment Rules (Rights of Consumers), 2021, finalized by the Ministry of Power, it would issue the necessary directions as and when required.

On June 30, the Ministry of Power issued the much-awaited amendment to the Electricity (Rights of Consumers), 2020, Rules concerning net metering for rooftop solar installations. The amendment permits net metering to the prosumer for loads up to 500 kW or up to the approved load, whichever is lower. Under the latest Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2021, the arrangements for net-metering, gross-metering, net-billing, or net feed-in would follow the regulations made by the State Commission from time to time.

The Electricity (Rights of Consumer) Rules, 2020, mandated net metering for loads up to 10 kW and gross metering for loads greater than 10 kW.

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