RERC publishes (Renewable Energy Obligation) (Fifth Amendment) Regulations, 2019

Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) recently announced (Renewable Energy Obligation) (Fifth Amendment) Regulations, 2019, which shall come into effect from 1st April 2019 provided that the revised RPO for FY 2018-19 shall become applicable from 1.04.2018. The original RPO target was 14.25% for FY 18-19. This has been reduced with retrospective effect.
Amendment in Regulation 4 of the Principal Regulations:

• If the solar RPO compliance is achieved up to 80%, then the remaining shortfall if any can be met by excess non-solar energy purchase over and above the specified non-solar RPO for that particular year.

• Similarly, If the non-solar RPO compliance is achieved up to 80%, then the remaining shortfall if any can be met by excess solar energy purchase over and above the specified solar RPO for that particular year.

(3) The RE Obligation for a distribution licensee including deemed licensee for FY 2018-19 and onwards shall be as under:

In our opinion, the reduction in RPO in FY 18-19 from 14.25% to 13.35% defeats the purpose of having RPO targets and runs afoul on various Aptel judgments.