GERC Maintains Leniency over RPO Compliance
The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) in its orders Dated 16th Jan 2015, has given relief to the state distribution companies against their RPO compliance for the year 13-14. The summary of the GERC orders is given below:
Orders on GUVNL: GUVNL complied with 5.26% out of 6% obligations for non-solar and achieved 2.18% of Solar against 1% obligation. But overall attained a renewable purchase level of 7.44% against the RPO of 7%. Highlighting this the GUVNL requested before the commission to adjust its excess solar energy purchased into the non-compliance in the Non-solar part. While the Indian Wind Energy Association (IWPA) objected saying that this would result in loss for the wind generators as there is huge amount of Non-solar REC’s available for purchase.
The commission in its order granted the permission for adjusting the excess purchase by GUVNL from Solar against the wind and other category compliance saying that the solar energy is costlier than the Non-solar energy and further more purchase of non-solar renewable would result in an additional burden on consumers of the distribution licensee.
Order on MPSEZ Utilities – MPSEZ Utilities submitted that it is having a revenue gap and therefore the enforcement of RPO on them will further burden the deemed licensees of SEZ areas. The commission in the order said that looking to the nascent stage of operation of the deemed distribution licensees of SEZ and quantum of power requirement by them for fulfillment of RPO, which is very less, so the commission exempted the licensee from applicability of RPO for FY 13-14.
Order on Torrent Power ltd. – Torrent power submitted that it has complied with RPO of 4.55% in case of Non-solar against total 6%, and solar RPO of .07% against 1% in the regulation. Saying that due to non-availability of Renewable Energy and factors beyond control, which lead to shortfall in RPO compliance for FY13-14. And requested before commission to revise the RPO percentage of FY 13-14 to the actual targets achieved by the company. IWPA in its submission said that the distribution company had the option of redeeming REC’s from exchange, as huge no. of solar and non-solar REC’s are available for sell.
The commission in the order said that the petitioner has made sufficient efforts to fulfill the solar and non-solar energy and REC’s as well, also said due to non-availability of renewable energy and factors beyond controlled resulted in shortfall in RPO compliance. And said that any further purchase of REC’s will result in the burden for consumers hence we cannot force the petitioner to buy more REC’s. The commission ordered to revise the RPO of the petitioner company as non-solar RPO at 4.55 % and Solar RPO at 0.07 % for FY 2013-14.
The decision of GERC to allow the defaulted distribution companies, adjusting their non-renewable RPO with their excess solar energy, and waiving off RPO for Deemed Distribution licensees (Torrent Energy Ltd and MPSEZ Utilities Pvt. Ltd.), and also reducing RPO to match the extent of sourced energy, will adversely impact the REC market which is going through a bad stage.
These steps even though appear to be practical may give other states chance to be more lenient over RPO enforcement, which could result in effecting the renewable industry badly as they rely on strict RPO enforcement. The step of giving solar power beneficial treatment over other RE power could be discouraging to other RE generators. May be the stagnancy in the REC market is the result of domino effect started by GERC and some other regulatory commissions.
The GERC Order on GUVNL & MPSEZ can be accessed here, and the order on torrent power can be accessed here.