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					</table><p>The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (<a title="https://www.erckerala.org/" href="https://www.erckerala.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KSERC</a>) has approved a time-of-day tariff for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations during solar hours, from 9 AM to 4 PM, which will be 30% lower than the ruling tariff.</p>
<p>This update aims to encourage EV users to charge their vehicles during solar hours. The tariff during solar hours is 0.7 times the average ruling tariff, while the tariff during non-solar hours is 1.3 times the average.</p>
<p>The Commission also approved single-part tariffs for EV charging stations with exemption from fixed or demand charges.</p>
<p>EV charging stations will be allowed to adjust the energy exported from the solar installations between 9 AM and 4 PM against the electricity imported within the same timeframe during a billing cycle without any charges, including fixed and grid support charges, energy adjustment, etc., until further notice.</p>
<p>The electricity exported during non-solar hours will be adjusted against electricity imported during this period in a billing cycle without any charges, including fixed and grid support charges and energy adjustments.</p>
<p>If surplus solar energy is exported during solar hours that has not been utilized for offsetting imports in the same period, this surplus can be used to offset imports during non-solar hours.</p>
<p>However, this cross-time adjustment is subject to a conversion factor. For every 13 units of surplus solar energy exported during solar hours, only seven units can offset imports during non-solar hours. This adjustment will also incur no additional charges.</p>
<p>Any surplus energy at the end of the billing period after the adjustments mentioned above will be banked and carried forward to the subsequent periods up to the settlement period (April 1 to March 31). This surplus can be used for adjusting against the energy consumption on payment of 5% banking charges of the total energy banked and grid support charges.</p>
<p>Any net surplus energy from solar may be settled at the average pooled power purchase cost or other rates approved by the Commission.</p>
<p>EV charging stations with solar systems can also install a battery energy storage system to store the surplus available solar power.</p>
<p>The Ministry of Power <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ministry-of-power-releases-ev-charging-infrastructure-guidelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> guidelines for installing and operating EV charging stations. According to the guidelines, any entity can establish a charging infrastructure, and setting up and operating EV charging stations is a de-licensed activity.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom&#8217;s real-time <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-renewable-energy-regulatory-updates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Regulatory Updates</a> to ensure you do not miss any critical updates from the renewable industry.</p>


Kerala Updates Solar Hour Tariffs for EV Charging Stations


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					</table><p>The <a href="https://powermin.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Power</a>, in a recent amendment to the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, has directed state commissions to ensure the tariff for solar hours (the duration of eight hours in a day)  must be at least 20% lower than the normal tariff for all consumer categories (except agricultural consumers).</p>
<p>The Ministry amended the rules to introduce provisions for Time-of-Day (ToD) tariffs and regulations around smart and prepaid meter usage for consumers.</p>
<p>The amended rules came into effect on June 14, 2023.</p>
<p>The Ministry has introduced the concept of ToD tariffs to promote efficient energy usage. The ToD tariff refers to the differentiated tariffs for peak and non-peak hours in a day.</p>
<p>Commercial and industrial consumers with higher consumption tend to affect the grid stability during peak hours. The new ToD tariffs are expected to play a crucial role in encouraging the C&amp;I segment to shift their demand to non-peak hours with cheaper electricity rates compared to peak hours when it would be more expensive.</p>
<p>Under the new rule, state commissions are responsible for determining the ToD tariffs. The newly amended rule 8A of the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, specifies that ToD tariffs for commercial and industrial consumers with a maximum demand exceeding 10 kW will be effective no later than April 1, 2024.</p>
<p>For other consumers, excluding agricultural consumers, the ToD tariffs will be implemented by April 1, 2025. Consumers with smart meters will have ToD tariffs immediately after installation.</p>
<p>During peak periods, the tariff for commercial and industrial consumers must be at least 1.20 times the normal tariff, while for other consumers, it should be at least 1.10 times the normal tariff.</p>
<p>It is important to note that the ToD tariff will apply to the energy charge component of the standard tariff.</p>
<p>Union Power and New &amp; Renewable Energy Minister Shri R. K. Singh said that the ToD is a win-win for consumers as well as the power system. “The TOD tariffs comprising separate tariffs for peak hours, Solar hours and normal hours, send price signals to consumers to manage their load according to the Tariff. With awareness and effective utilization of ToD tariff mechanism, consumers can reduce their electricity bills. Since solar power is cheaper, the tariff during the solar hours will be less, so the consumer benefits. During non solar hours thermal and hydro power as well as gas based capacity is used – their costs are higher than that of solar power – this will be reflected in Time of Day Tariff. Now consumers can plan their consumption in order to reduce their power costs – planning more activities during solar hours when power costs are less.”</p>
<p>Singh affirmed that the ToD mechanism would ensure better grid integration of Renewable Energy sources, facilitating faster energy transition for India. It would also improve the management of renewable generation fluctuations, and incentivize demand increase during periods of high RE generation hours, thereby increasing grid integration of larger quantities of renewable power.</p>
<p>The amendments also introduce Rule 8B, emphasizing tariff information display.</p>
<p>Distribution licensees must prominently display the tariffs for each consumer category on their websites. Consumers must be notified of any tariff changes, excluding fuel surcharge and other charges, at least one month in advance. This information will be communicated through distribution licensee&#8217;s websites, energy bills, SMS, mobile applications, and similar mediums.</p>
<p><strong>Smart and Prepaid Meters</strong></p>
<p>One key change outlined in Rule 5 of the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, under the new sub-rule (5), is that all types of smart meters must be remotely read at least once daily.</p>
<p>In addition, other pre-payment meters should be read by an authorized representative of the distribution licensee every three months.</p>
<p>Consumers will have access to their energy consumption data through various channels such as websites, mobile applications, and SMS. Furthermore, consumers with smart pre-payment meters can check their daily consumption and balance amounts.</p>
<p>The amendments also address the issue of penalties based on the maximum demand recorded by smart meters. As per the newly introduced sub-rule (5A), consumers will not face penalties for the period before installing smart meters. Moreover, if the recorded maximum demand exceeds the sanctioned load in each month, the bill calculation for that billing cycle will be based on the actual recorded maximum demand. Consumers will be informed of this change through SMS or mobile applications.</p>
<p>The new amendments aim to enhance consumer rights and improve the efficiency of electricity consumption using smart meters and innovative ToD tariff structures.</p>
<p>In January, Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy R.K. Singh <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/consumers-smart-meters-billed-on-actual-load-minister" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advised</a> states to ensure no penalty is levied on any consumer for higher load discovered after installing prepaid smart meters.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s real-time <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-renewable-energy-regulatory-updates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Regulatory Updates</a> to ensure you don’t miss any critical updates from the renewable industry.</p>
<p>The article is updated with Union Power Minister R.K. Singh&#8217;s quote on the ToD tariff implementation, released on June 23, 2023</p>


Consumers to Pay 20% Lower Electricity Tariff During Solar Hours

<p>Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (<a href="https://www.upcl.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UPCL</a>) seeks feedback on a petition filed before the Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (<a href="http://www.uerc.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UERC</a>) on a draft plan to pass on the benefits of electricity tariff rebates to the end consumers.</p>
<p>The stakeholders can submit their responses by October 12, 2020.</p>
<p>The UPCL noted that it had received a rebate of ₹391.4 million (~$5.3 million) from the central public sector generation and transmission companies. The state DISCOM said that fixed charges for low-tension (LT) industrial consumers for April 2020 had been billed based on the contracted load. The high-tension (HT) industrial consumers were billed on the maximum demand or 80% of the contracted load, whichever was higher. The UPCL noted that for April 2020, fixed charges amounting to ₹523.8 million ($7.09 million) had been billed. Further, fixed charges for April 2020 would be charged based on actual demand, which amounts to ₹244.8 million (~$3.32 million). Accordingly, UPCL would pass on a rebate amounting to ₹279 million (~$3.78 million) to the end consumers.</p>
<p>Further, UPCL pointed out that the fixed charges for commercial consumers for April 2020 had been billed based on the contracted load. The DISCOM had billed fixed charges amounting to ₹118.4 million (~$1.6 million) for April 2020. The UPCL proposed to waive off fixed charges for April 2020 and pass on a rebate of ₹118.4 million (~$1.6 million) to these consumers.</p>
<p>The state DISCOM further proposed that any excess or deficit in the rebates would be adjusted at the time of true-up exercise for FY 2020-21 by the Commission.</p>
<p>Notable, as fixed charges amounting to ₹391.4 million (~$5.3 million) would be waived off, the deferred amount of fixed charges would be reduced by ₹391.4 million (~$5.3 million), and UPCL would claim interest on the reduced amount of the deferred fixed charges.</p>
<p>Previously, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission <a href="https://mercomindia.com/amid-covid-outbreak-delhi-electricity-consumers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced</a> rebates and incentives on power bills raised between March 24, 2020, to June 30, 2020. This rebate was announced considering the Coronavirus outbreak and the repercussions it has had on several services, including power supply. Then recently, it also <a href="https://mercomindia.com/delhi-reduces-fixed-power-charges/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reduced</a> fixed charges by 50% for industrial and non-domestic consumers.</p>


Uttarakhand DISCOM Mulls Passing on Tariff Rebates to Power Consumers

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