The Arunachal Pradesh State Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued the Draft APSERC (Renewable Purchase Obligation and its Compliance) Regulations, 2025 (Third Amendment) to promote renewable energy generation in the state. This amendment follows the Ministry of Power’s notification from October 2023, which, in consultation with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, specified the minimum share of non-fossil fuel consumption for designated consumers, including distribution licensees, open access consumers, and captive users. These obligations are expressed as a percentage of total energy consumption and vary for different non-fossil sources.
The new regulations, applicable across Arunachal Pradesh, amend the Renewable Power Purchase Obligation and its Compliance Regulations, 2012. They define renewable purchase obligations for the years 2024-25 to 2029-30, broken into wind, hydro, distributed renewable, and other renewable energy categories. The total renewable energy targets are set at 29.91% for 2024-25, increasing progressively to 43.33% in 2029-30. For the state, the distributed renewable energy target will be half of the national figure, with the remaining portion adjusted into the “other renewable energy” category to keep totals consistent.
Wind obligations will be met from wind projects commissioned after March 31, 2024, while hydro obligations will come from new hydro, pump storage, or small hydro projects commissioned after the same date, including free power allocations to the state. Distributed renewable energy must come from projects under 10 MW, including various solar configurations such as net metering, gross metering, and behind-the-meter setups. If actual generation data is unavailable, it will be calculated using a factor of 3.5 kWh per kW per day. The “other renewable” category covers all projects not included in the wind, hydro, or distributed categories, including those commissioned before April 1, 2024.
The regulations allow flexibility, enabling excess wind generation to cover hydro shortfalls and vice versa, and surplus in these categories can also be counted under “other renewable energy.” Excess in “other renewable energy” can be used to meet wind or hydro deficits. Obligated open access and captive power consumers must meet the total renewable target regardless of the source. Compliance can be achieved directly or through Renewable Energy Certificates in line with CERC regulations. Non-compliance will attract penalties as per section 26(3) of the Electricity Act.
The Arunachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency remains the state agency for accrediting renewable projects and is now also tasked with monitoring RPO compliance and submitting quarterly reports to the commission. The Bureau will maintain compliance data for the central government. The renewable energy trajectory set by the Government of India will be valid until 2029-30, with any updates to follow future Ministry of Power notifications.
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