The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has disposed of four petitions filed by Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) seeking extensions to the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date (SCOD) for four wind and solar power projects in Karnataka and Maharashtra. The Commission ruled that the projects do not qualify for the special waiver of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges because their expected commissioning dates fall beyond the maximum permissible extension period under the applicable regulations.
The petitions covered a 288 MW wind power project at Koppal in Karnataka, a 111.8 MW wind project at Kallam in Maharashtra, a 189 MW solar project at Koppal-II in Karnataka, and a 190 MW solar project at Gadag-II in Karnataka. TPREL had requested extensions to the scheduled commissioning timelines to retain eligibility for the ISTS charge waiver under Regulation 13(2)(h)(ii) of the CERC Sharing Regulations, 2020.
The company argued that delays in project execution and the non-operationalisation of General Network Access (GNA) resulted from circumstances beyond its control. According to TPREL, the primary reasons were the unavailability of the required Common Transmission Systems (CTS) and delays in the development of associated power evacuation infrastructure. These transmission facilities were necessary to enable the projects to connect to the grid and supply electricity as planned.
A designated committee had previously examined the cases and recommended extensions up to May 31, 2026, or until the associated transmission systems became available. The recommendations were intended to address delays linked to the readiness of transmission infrastructure and allow the projects additional time to achieve commercial operation.
However, CERC observed that Regulation 13(2)(h) of the 2020 Sharing Regulations places a limit on the extension period available for the special ISTS charge waiver. Under the applicable provisions, the maximum permissible extension was restricted to 12 months beyond June 30, 2025, making June 30, 2026, the final eligibility deadline.
The Commission also clarified that projects must achieve their actual Commercial Operation Date (COD) on or before the extended deadline to qualify for the special waiver. An extension of the scheduled commissioning date alone does not establish eligibility if the project fails to commence commercial operations within the prescribed period.
After reviewing the updated project schedules submitted by TPREL, the Commission found that the expected commissioning dates for all four projects extended beyond June 30, 2026. Consequently, the projects did not meet the conditions required to receive the special transmission charge waiver under the invoked regulatory provision.
CERC therefore disposed of the four petitions, declining to extend the special waiver eligibility beyond the prescribed limit. The Commission indicated that the projects would instead be eligible for graded ISTS charge waivers under the general provisions of the sharing regulations after achieving their respective CODs, subject to the applicable conditions.
The decision highlights the importance of meeting regulatory commissioning deadlines for renewable energy developers seeking transmission charge benefits. It also underscores the distinction between delays caused by transmission infrastructure constraints and the eligibility requirements established under the regulatory framework.
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