The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has issued clarifications for the provisions on metering, application fees, and registration fees for green energy open access (GEOA) consumers.

UPERC said it had received representations on provisions related to metering, application fees, and registration fees for GEOA transactions. The Commission issued the order under Regulation 38 of the UPERC Open Access Regulations, 2019, which allows it to remove difficulties in implementing the regulations.

The Commission has substituted Regulation 29.6 of the open access regulations. The location of interface meters, including main, check, and standby meters, for open access consumers connected to the transmission or distribution system will now be governed by the Central Electricity Authority (Installation and Operation of Meters) Regulations, 2006, and its amendments.

UPERC said the clarification was required after the Central Electricity Authority (Installation and Operation of Meters) Amendment Regulations, 2026, came into effect on April 1, 2026.

For consumers connected at voltages up to 650 V, installation of a check meter is not mandatory. A check meter will be installed only if the open access consumer requires one. The cost of interface meters will continue to be borne by open access consumers.

The Commission also modified the application fee provisions for GEOA consumers who avail of open access through a lead GEOA consumer.

The lead consumer, acting on behalf of all individual GEOA consumers, must pay a non-refundable application fee of ₹5,000 (~$52) per GEOA consumer, or ₹50,000 (~$522), whichever is higher, to avail of GEOA.

The earlier regulations required the application fee to be paid cumulatively by all individual GEOA consumers. UPERC said difficulties had arisen over the submission of individual application fees in such cases and that the lack of clarity could affect the viability and implementation of projects.

If there is any change in the green energy source, the lead consumer already availing GEOA must submit a fresh application for long-term or medium-term open access. The lead GEOA consumer must also pay the applicable non-refundable application fee on behalf of all individual GEOA consumers who intend to avail of open access from the new source.

UPERC has also revised the registration fee payable to the State Load Despatch Centre for GEOA through a lead consumer.

The lead consumer must pay a non-refundable registration fee of ₹1,500 (~$16) per GEOA consumer, or ₹15,000 (~$156), whichever is higher, to avail of long-term, medium-term, or short-term GEOA.

The Commission noted that the UPERC Fees and Charges of State Load Despatch Centre and Other Related Matters Regulations, 2025, prescribe a registration fee of ₹15,000 (~$156). It said applying this fee to each connection in cases involving multiple consumers could impose an undue financial burden and affect commercial viability.

If the green energy source changes, the lead consumer must submit a new application for long-term or medium-term open access and pay the applicable non-refundable registration fee on behalf of all individual GEOA consumers who intend to avail of open access from the new source.

Driven by the rapid expansion of data centers in Uttar Pradesh, demand for solar open access in the state is expected to double over the next three years. Developers cite favorable solar policies and the growth of hard-to-abate sectors in Uttar Pradesh, such as data centers and electric consumer goods, as the main drivers for the demand for open-access power.

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