OPEN ACCESS By: B.M.VERMA Ex- Chairman/ Jharkhand State Electricity Board Ex- Chairman & Managing Director Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited Contact: +91- 9810588500 Email: bmverma@yahoo.com

Primary energy consumption per capita

SHORTAGE / ROSTERING (IN MW) 4.1.2007 SHORTAGE / ROSTERING (IN MW) Unrestricted Drawl Schedule Rostering Rostering Overdrawl 7 8 9 10 11 1 18 19 20 21 Gross Shortage Gross Shortage

POWER CUT Date: 06-04-06 & 07-04-06 Power Cut Unrestricted Demand Demand Met (Total Availability) Hydro Gen. Net Import from Grid Time in Hrs.

Consumer Expectations Reliable & Quality Power Faster Fault Removal Consumer Relationship Easy Mechanism of Attribute Change Quick Grievance Redressal Correct Billing Payments Convenience Easy New Connection Transparent Meters Reading We Interact, We Listen, We Learn, We Act….

GLOBALIZATION COMPETE or PERISH Cut-Throat competition Pressure on Bottomlines Cost reduction key for survival Power a major input Are INDIAN INDUSTRIES prepared for GLOBAL COMPETITION?

RELIABLE AND GOOD QUALITY POWER NOW INDUSTRY DEMANDS RELIABLE AND GOOD QUALITY POWER AT AFFORDABLE COST TO REMAIN GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT & CLAIM CARBON CREDITS WITH LOWERED GHG EMISSIONS

POWER is definitely the KEY DRIVER of the economy POWER is definitely the KEY DRIVER of the economy. THE INDUSTRIAL POLICY will prove to be effective, only if, there is good power availability. The Sector will not only draw investment but also provide employment to many and further durability to the economy.

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION ACROSS VARIOUS STATES OF INDIA

CONTENTS OPEN ACCESS ISSUES IN Delhi Uttar Pradesh Maharashtra Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand Rajasthan Haryana Punjab Gujarat Madhya Pradesh

To create a market for supply by competing generators and encourage investments in generation Open access in transmission will promote competition and will lead to availability of cheaper reliable power supply To ensure that consumers receive adequate supply while at the same time distribution licensee improves its performance Optimum Utilization of Transmission network Creation of an all-India market

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION DISCOMS are misinterpreting the Regulations/order of DERC Not allowing OA consumer for partial drawl from the licensee. Mis-interpretation of Regulations State is imposing compulsory obligation on all Open Access consumers to bid for all 24 hours of the day. Compulsory Obligation Extreme high additional surcharge of Rs. 3/kWh for all 24 hrs for the months from August to November. This was the suo motu determination of additional surcharge by DERC. High Additional Surcharge

Uttar pradesh

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Hon'able UPERC has notified the open access regulations in 2009 but till now inter-state open access in UP has not been started. SLDC’s contention is that they are not equipped with inter-state ABT accounting and hence, open access cannot be allowed in UP. Implementation of inter-state open access in the state

maharashtra

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Open Access consumer is denied Open Access permission by MSEDCL and the matter approached before MERC for seeking directions of Commission in this matter. Hon'able MERC decided that there is operational difficulty in granting open access to consumer and hence, the decision of MSEDCL is not a contravention to any of the Regulations/ provisions of the Act. Discriminatory denial of Open Access to OA Consumers Non cleared OA power on Exchange platform will not be allowed to draw from the licensee despite the consumer is adhering to its contract demand. Surrender of Contract Demand

High Cross-subsidy Surcharge CONTINUED Range of Cross-subsidy Surcharge for expressed feeder is (2.30-2.75) Rs./KWh & (1.82-2.26) Rs./KWh for non-expressed feeders in Maharashtra for 33 KV & 66 KV & above users, due to which OA consumers are unable to make any profit through Exchange. High Cross-subsidy Surcharge Industrialists in the state are completely dismayed by the decision of MERC to turn down applications of several industries seeking permission to buy power from Indian Electricity Exchange (IEX). Twenty-nine industries had filed petitions in MERC either seeking OA or complaining about MSEDCL's unwillingness to grant the same. All of them have been rejected. Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission refuses open access to industries. TNN | Apr 15, 2014, 02.22 AM IST

Himachal pradesh

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Earlier HPSEB used to ask daily scheduling from OA consumers of his drawl from OA & HPSEB and levies UI penalty even on the deviation from HPSEB drawl. Now, HPSLDC is working on the revised procedures for STOA and they are supposed to remove the scheduling obligation from OA consumers regarding the drawl from HPSEB. Daily Scheduling to HPSEB & levying of UI charges Advance security is been incorporated by the Open Access consumers of the state. Advance Security

uttarakhand

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Bill settlement of inter-state open access transactions are not automated and also not systemised. Consumer has to take initiative from its own side for the settlement of its open access billing. Commercial Settlement of OA transactions Presently OA consumers of Uttarakhand are having TOD metering at their premises which records the reading of each 30min. Now, without replacing those meters, UPCL has directed OA consumers to sign the agreement for complying all the provisions of the Deviation & Settlement Regulations and in case of non-compliance, NOC will not be issued to OA consumer. Applicability of Deviation & Settlement Regulations

Rajasthan

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION DISCOMS of Rajasthan are not paying UI deviation charges to the open access consumers of Rajasthan during their under drawl in inter-state open access transactions. Hon'able RERC has notified the open access regulations which allows to implement UI mechanism during deviation in inter-state open access schedule but DISCOMS and SLDC are not implementing it properly and OA consumers are denied of UI Settlement. UI refund settlement

Security from OA consumers CONTINUED As per RERC regulations, open access consumers of Rajasthan are required to maintain a security equivalent to 3 months average billing towards wheeling and cross subsidy charges which is in addition to the 2months security of their average billing which consumers are maintaining with the DISCOMS in the normal course and hence, consumers are maintaining security in excess of what is desired under the RERC Regulations. A clarification petition has to be filed before RERC seeking interpretation of the RERC Regulations and the amount to be maintained with the DISCOMS as a security. Security from OA consumers

Sudden with holding of tested meters CONTINUED 15 Consumers Open access consumers are maintaining with the DISCOMS in the normal course and hence, consumers are maintaining security in excess of what is desired under the RERC Regulations. A clarification petition has to be filed before RERC seeking interpretation of the RERC Regulations and the amount to be maintained with the DISCOMS as a security. Sudden with holding of tested meters

haryana

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Hon'able HERC directed to DISCOMS in its order dated to refund the UI compensation to all OA consumers from August 2010 till date but still same has not been processed to most of the OA consumers. UI Settlement Non cleared OA power on Exchange platform will not be allowed to draw from the licensee despite the consumer is adhering to its contract demand. When Exchange gives the final cleared schedule around 3pm, then how can a consumer provide its final OA schedule at 10:00 am? Daily scheduling of open access power at 10:00 am

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION HERC through its amendment dated 3.12.2013 on Open Access Regulations, notified that PLEC would also be applicable on open access consumers for their drawal during peak hours. OA consumers have to pay PLEC charges when their drawal exceed 20% of their sanctioned contract demand during the peak hours. When OA consumers are drawing their power through open access mode, there should not be any peak load charges to be levied on OA consumers. Levying of PLEC (Peak Load Exemption Charge) on OA consumer

punjab

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION PSERC has imposed high cross subsidy surcharge (Rs.1.07/kwh) and wheeling charges (Rs.1.19/kwh) on OA consumers. Even as per the last amendment of Open Access regulations, PSERC also made wheeling charges to be applicable on consumers connected with transmission system of the state by making it applicable also on 132KV and 220KV connected consumers. High Cross-subsidy Surcharge & Wheeling Charges

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Conflict among Applicability of Deviation & Settlement Regulations and Open Access Regulations in regard to implementation of deviation mechanism for inter-state open access transactions in the state of Punjab. As per PSERC OA Regulations, consumer will be paid during underdrawal at the rate whichever is lower among: - applicable lowest tariff for consumer category/ UI rate/ PX rate. While as per CERC Regulation, if underdrawal exceeds beyond 12% of the schedule, UI will not be paid to OA consumer. So, if they wish to implement CERC Deviation Settlement Regulations they first have to amend their own regulation and only then CERC Deviation Settlement Regulation can be implemented in Punjab. Deviation & Settlement Regulation

gujarat

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Gujarat banned the open access to consumers of DGVCL & MGVCL quoting the reason of transmission constraint in upstream due to rise in system load demand. GETCO had disallowed around 125 industrial units in south and central Gujarat from purchasing power in the open market. “Gradually some of the smaller and medium units have been closing down due to being denied cheaper power”. Cos move GERC against denial of open access Business Standard Vinay Umarji  |  Ahmedabad  April 16, 2014  GERC finalised the additional surcharge of Rs. 0.42/KWh through its order dated 12.03.2014 to be applicable on open access consumers. Additional Surcharge imposed

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Gujarat banned the open access to consumers of DGVCL & MGVCL quoting the reason of transmission constraint in upstream due to rise in system load demand. PGVCL also banned open access to 126 companies quoting the reason of transmission constraint in upstream due to rise in system load demand. Vide CE SLDC Gujarat letter Dt. 18/03/2014. Open Access banned

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION GERC finalised the additional surcharge of Rs. 0.42/KWh through its order dated 12.03.2014 to be applicable on open access consumers. Additional Surcharge imposed

Huge penalties even for occasional deviations. During any block of time actual power drawn is 12% or less of the scheduled power, consent granted for open access shall be withdrawn with immediate effect. PGVCL has issued a warning on under drawl more than 12 % of scheduled power vide his letter Dt. 26th March’14 issued by Addl. C.E. (R & C) Rajkot

Our Concern Our Electrical/ Electronic equipments are very sophisticated and any voltage dip above 15% and for more than 120milli seconds trips the Electrical drives, causing stoppage of the complete equipment. The Voltage dips are coming from GETCO. We have many times requested to PGVCL as well as to GETCO to look into the matter but nothing could be done. Restarting of complete machine takes more than 30 minutes.

Our Concern Under above conditions, it is not possible to eliminate under drawls in the 15Minutes block time. PGVCL does not compensate even when GETCO supply fails due to their reason. In the past there was a Power Failure from GETCO for about 5Hours, but PGVCL refused to entertain it.

One has to draw 1.0 MW of power during all the time blocks. As per PGVCL, No Open Access Transactions are allowed below 1.0 MW Indirectly they have banned Open access to the companies having consumptions less than 1MW despite of having CD 1MW or above.

Our Concern STU charges are varying, till date it is in the range of Rs.4154/MW/Day to Rs. 4391/MW/Day, how is it being calculated? SLDC Gujarat has increased the STU charges from Rs.743/MW/Day to Rs.2970/MW/Day vide their NOC issued to ISC for the month of Apr’14.

Our Concern Electricity Duty is being charged on PGVCL “Total Consumption Charges” even on Open Access purchased units. Where as it should be on the landed cost of Open Access units. PGVCL is putting all the efforts to discourage / ban the use of Open Access.

Karnataka

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Karnataka, has restricted power sales within the boundaries of the State, and hence curbing the choice of power generators to sell power to consumers outside the State. This decision to disallow sale of electricity through open access could negatively impact operations many Generators . Karnataka’s move to curb open access in power to hit industry: CII- NEW DELHI, APRIL 15: 2014 

Madhya pradesh

ISSUES IN OPEN ACCESS IMPLEMENTATION Karnataka, has restricted power sales within the boundaries of the State, and hence curbing the choice of power generators to sell power to consumers outside the State. This decision to disallow sale of electricity through open access could negatively impact operations many Generators . Karnataka’s move to curb open access in power to hit industry: CII- NEW DELHI, APRIL 15: 2014 

Open Access Charges in States (HT Power) Cross Subsidy STU Charges STU Losses Wheeling Charges Wheeling losses Gujarat 0.45 0.030 4.56% 0.12 10% Maharashtra 2.30 to 2.75 0.43 4.19% 0.60 9% M.P 1.21 0.06 3.16% 0.18 5.15% Chhattisgarh 1.53 0.23 4.40% 0.22 6% Punjab 1.07 0.27 2.50% 1.19 6.03% Rajasthan 0.368 4.20% 0.32 12.60% Haryana 0.53 0.19 0.70 0.00% Uttarakhand 0.40 0.125 1.85% 0.30 17.00% Tamil Nadu 0.00 .082 3.52% 0.17

Apr 2013 2515.68 3.16 May 2013 2499.31 2.73 Jun 2013 2114.56 2.23 Jul 2013 2264.28 2.28 Aug 2013 2343.34 2.06 Sep 2013 2852.88 3.04 Oct 2013 2644.51 2.71 Nov 2013 2480.86 2.78 Dec 2013 2409.42 3.22 Jan 2014 2346.50 3.14 Feb 2014 2171.72 3.29 Mar 2014 2 281.78 3.03 Apr 2014 2087.96 3.61 May 2014 2347.78 3.28 Jun 2014 2616.78 3.89 Jul 2014 1275.39 3.99

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