DERC removes 11 kV requirement for Green Energy Open Access
The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) has amended its Green Energy regulations to remove the requirement that consumers be connected at 11 kV or above to be eligible for Green Energy Open Access. The change, notified through the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for Green Energy) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2026 broadens eligibility for consumers seeking to procure renewable energy through open access.
The amendment modifies three provisions of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for Green Energy) Regulations, 2024, which were notified on November 12, 2024.
Key amendments
The amendment revises the definition of “Entity” under Regulation 2(1) by deleting the requirement that eligible consumers must be connected at 11 kV or above. An entity will now be defined solely based on having a contracted demand or sanctioned load of 100 kW or more, either through a single connection or through multiple connections aggregating 100 kW or more within the area of the same distribution licensee.
A similar amendment has been made to the definition of “Green Energy Open Access Consumer” under Regulation 2(p). The voltage criterion has been removed, making any consumer with a contracted demand or sanctioned load of at least 100 kW eligible, irrespective of the voltage level at which the consumer is connected.
The Commission has also amended Regulation 8(a), removing the 11 kV connectivity requirement from the eligibility criteria for Green Energy Open Access. Consumers meeting the 100 kW threshold, whether through a single connection or aggregated across multiple connections within the same distribution licensee’s area, will now be eligible to source green energy through open access.
Captive projects
The amended regulations also introduce a proviso removing any minimum load requirement for consumers setting up green energy projects for captive use.
Under the new provision, there will be no load limitation linked to the consumer’s contracted demand or sanctioned load for establishing captive green energy projects. This means the 100 kW eligibility threshold will not apply where renewable energy projects are developed for captive consumption.
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