HAREDA announces amendments in Haryana Solar Power Policy, 2016

Recently Haryana Renewable Development Agency (HAREDA) announced amendments in the current guidelines for Solar Power Policy, 2016. The amendments  made in clause 4.3 are as under:

• The wheeling & transmission charges are exempted for ten years from the date of commissioning for all the captive solar power projects who have submitted their projects registration to HAREDA.
• Further, the projects should also have purchased land or have taken land on lease for thirty years & have bought equipment and machinery or should have invested at least Rs. one crore per Mega Watt for the purchase of equipment & machinery for setting up of such Captive Solar Power Projects till 13th February 2019.
• Cross-subsidy surcharges and additional surcharges are not applicable for Captive Solar Power Projects as per provisions of Electricity Act 2003.
• For determining the investment of Rs. One crore per MW, payment for equipment should be made into the bank accounts of equipment supplier before 13th February 2019 and proof of the same needs to be submitted.
• There is no waiver on transmission charges, wheeling charges, cross-subsidy surcharges, and additional surcharges for solar projects for third party sale.
• However, against the waivers already specified above, Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) benefit will be provided to Power Utilities as per RE Regulations 2017 with amendments from time to time.
• Banking will be provided for captive/ third party solar generation projects. However, banking charges shall be applicable as per RE Regulations 2017 with amendments from time to time.

These amendments, however, have come in retrospection and will only be applicable to the existing captive solar plants.