AERC proposes Supply Code amendment for 33 kV power supply
The Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC) has issued a draft amendment to the Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (Electricity Supply Code) Regulations, 2017, proposing to allow certain high-load consumers to receive electricity supply at 33 kV without payment of the surcharge ordinarily applicable for supply at lower voltage levels.
The proposal forms part of the Commission’s ongoing amendment process under Section 181(3) of the Electricity Act, 2003. Stakeholders have been invited to submit comments and objections on the draft regulations by July 24, 2026.
Proposed provision
The draft amendment seeks to introduce Regulation 2.2.2(c), which would permit consumers with connected loads ranging from 10,000 kVA to 20,000 kVA to avail supply at 33 kV through dedicated feeders.
Under the existing framework, consumers within this load category are generally required to take supply at 132 kV or 220 kV. Supply at a lower voltage level typically attracts a surcharge of 3%.
However, under the proposed amendment, eligible consumers opting for supply at 33 kV would be exempt from the surcharge, subject to the condition that they do not avail Open Access.
The draft also proposes that line losses associated with such arrangements be accounted for by billing consumers based on the difference between sending-end and receiving-end meter readings.
Background
The amendment has been proposed following a petition filed by Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), which argued that the existing 33 kV network is technically capable of supplying loads of up to around 20,000 kVA.
According to APDCL, extending supply through 132 kV infrastructure involves significant capital expenditure and operational challenges, including issues related to right-of-way acquisition and the location of grid substations in remote areas.
The utility submitted that permitting supply at 33 kV in such cases could provide operational flexibility while making use of existing infrastructure.
Regulatory process
AERC conducted a hearing on the petition on May 21, 2026, and subsequently issued an order on June 18, 2026, initiating the formal process for amending the Supply Code Regulations.
The proposed amendment introduces an additional option for large consumers while linking the concession on voltage surcharge to the condition that such consumers remain outside the Open Access framework.
If notified, the amendment would create a separate category of high-load consumers eligible for 33 kV supply under specified technical and commercial conditions.
The featured photograph is for representation only.
