CERC extends deadlines and issues clarifications on GNA transition challenges

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has issued an order dated 08 December 2025 to resolve difficulties raised by renewable energy developers during the shift to the amended grid access framework. The order extends key deadlines and clarifies rules on technical compliance, energy storage system charging and land parcel changes linked to solar and non solar hour access.

The order in Petition No. 14/SM/2025 addresses challenges in implementing the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission Connectivity and General Network Access to the inter State Transmission System Regulations, 2022, and its amendments. The third amendment came into force on 09 September 2025 and introduced solar hour access and non solar hour access.

The Commission has extended the application window for Renewable Energy Generating Stations and Renewable Power Park Developers based on solar sources that need to convert to solar hour access entities. They now have five and a half months from 09 September 2025, or until about 22 February 2026, to apply for additional non solar hour capacity under Regulation 5.2 or Regulation 5.11(a). The same extension applies to Renewable Power Park Developers required to submit Scheduled Commercial Operation Dates under Regulation 37.10(g).

The Commission has clarified that additional inverter or wind turbine generator capacity installed to meet reactive power compensation or internal losses at the Point of Injection will not need a new connectivity application or extra bank guarantees. The Central Transmission Utility of India Limited will verify this through system studies and ensure that active power injection stays within the granted connectivity limit.

Energy Storage Systems with connectivity that are still awaiting a drawal study by the Central Transmission Utility of India Limited can charge from the grid under Temporary General Network Access. This interim permission is limited to the granted connectivity quantum and real time grid margins. The Central Transmission Utility of India Limited has been directed to complete the drawal studies within four months of the order.

The Commission has clarified that changes to land parcels made before the third amendment came into effect will not be counted against the new rule that permits only one such change after the amendment. Entities can therefore make one land parcel change after 09 September 2025 even if they changed locations earlier.

Renewable Power Park Developers based on solar sources remain eligible to seek non solar hour access under the Right of First Refusal process in Regulation 5.11(b) within the extended timeline. This eligibility is limited to the Right of First Refusal process.

Entities with an in principle connectivity grant issued before the third amendment will get at least one chance to change their energy source under Regulation 9.3, even if the earlier 18 month window has lapsed.

For cases where the Central Transmission Utility of India Limited delays issuing the final connectivity grant and does not share substation coordinates, the entity will have at least nine months from the date tentative coordinates are shared to submit land documents.

The Commission issued these directions under its Power to Remove Difficulty in Regulation 42 and its suo moto powers in Regulation 44 of the General Network Access Regulations. The bench consisted of Member Ramesh Babu V, Member Harish Dudani and Member Ravinder Singh Dhillon.

The featured photograph is for representation only.