Section 5 in The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (Distribution Open Access) Regulations, 2014
5. Grant of Connectivity.
- 5.1. A Generating Station having installed capacity less than 5 MW shall be eligible to obtain connectivity to the Distribution system and shall apply for connectivity as per the provisions of these Regulations, unless already connected, in accordance with the provisions in this chapter :Provided that a generating station having installed capacity of 5 MW and above may also get connectivity to the distribution system but only after such connectivity is technically feasible in accordance with Regulation 5.5.5.2All eligible generating stations including a captive generating plant, seeking connectivity to the distribution system, shall apply to the Distribution Licensee for connectivity in the Form prescribed in the procedure to be laid down by the Distribution Licensee :Provided that till such time such procedure is laid down by Distribution Licensee, the earlier procedure of granting Open Access shall be applicable.5.3The Application for the connectivity shall be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of Rupees Two lakh :Provided that in case of application made by a Renewable energy based generation plant the non-refundable fee shall be Rupees One lakh.5.4The application for connectivity shall contain details such as, proposed geographical location of the generating station; quantum of power to be injected in MW and such other details as may be laid down by the Distribution Licensee concerned in the procedure to be approved by the Commission.5.5On receipt of the application, the Distribution Licensee shall, in consultation and through co-ordination with STU wherever required, process the application and carry out the necessary inter-connection study as specified in the Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations, 2007 and Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity of the Distributed Generation Resources) Regulations, 2013, as amended from time to time.5.6While granting connectivity, the Distribution Licensee shall specify the name of the sub-station or pooling station or switchyard where connectivity is to be granted.5.7The Distribution Licensee shall indicate the broad design features such as switchyard and inter-connection facility upto the point of injection into the sub-station of the Distribution Licensee and the time-frame for completion of the same. The cost of creation of these facilities shall be borne by the Generating Company. In cases where augmentation of the Distribution Licensee's sub-station is involved, the generating station shall also bear the cost of bay, breaker in the Distribution Licensee's sub-station and equipment for inter-connection of real time data to meet SLDC's requirement :Provided that the ownership of assets created by the Generating Company shall remain with the Generating Company.5.8The applicant and the Distribution Licensee shall comply with the provisions of Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations, 2007 and Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity of the Distributed Generation Resources) Regulations, 2013, as amended from time to time.5.9The applicant shall sign a connection agreement with the Distribution Licensee where connectivity is being granted :Provided that the Distribution Licensee shall upload a Model agreement on its website within period of (60) days from the date of notification of these Regulations :Provided further that in case of a prospective consumer of a Distribution Licensee the connectivity to the distribution system shall be governed as per procedure laid down in Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (Electricity Supply Code and Other Conditions of Supply) Regulations, 2005, as amended from time to time.5.10The grant of connectivity shall not entitle an applicant to interchange any power with the Grid/electrical system of the Licensee unless it obtains Long-term Open Access, Medium-term Open Access or short-term Open Access in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations.5.11A generating station, including a captive generating plant which has been granted connectivity to the distribution system shall be allowed to undertake testing including full load test by injecting its infirm power into the grid before being put into commercial operation, even before availing any type of Open Access, after obtaining permission of the State Load Despatch Centre and the Distribution Licensee, who shall keep grid security in view while granting such permission :Provided that a unit of a generating station, including a captive generating plant which has been granted connectivity to the grid shall be allowed to inject infirm power into the grid during testing including full load testing before its COD for a period not exceeding six months from the date of first synchronization after obtaining prior permission of the State Load Despatch Centre and the Distribution Licensee :Provided further that the Commission may allow extension of the period for testing including full load test, and consequent injection of infirm power by the unit, beyond six months, in exceptional circumstances on an application made by the Generating Company atleast two months in advance of completion of six month period :Provided also that the onus of proving that the injection of infirm power from the unit(s) of the generating station is for the purpose of testing and commissioning shall lie with the Generating Company, and the SLDC shall seek such information on each occasion of injection of power before COD. For this, the generator shall provide the SLDC sufficient details of the specific testing and commissioning activity, its duration and intended injection etc. :Provided that the commercial treatment of such infirm power from a generating station or a unit thereof, other than those based on non-conventional energy sources, will be governed by the MERC (Multi Year Tariff) Regulations, 2011, as amended from time to time. The power injected as a result of such testing into the grid from other generating stations for which tariff has not been determined by the Commission, shall be charged either at the System Marginal Price or any other intra-State ABT settlement charges as identified under the intra-State ABT mechanism operating in the State from time to time or at the average variable cost of Long term power purchase as approved by the Commission for the preceding year in the Retail Tariff Order of the Distribution Licensee, whichever is lower, to which the generator is connected :Provided that before injecting infirm power, the generating station including captive generating plant, shall have an agreement with a Distribution Licensee to supply infirm power :Provided further that in case the generator does not have an agreement for sale of power with any Licensee then the charges for such infirm power injected into the grid shall be reduced to zero and this infirm power shall be credited to the Distribution Licensee to whom the generator is connected.5.12The generator or a consumer already connected to the distribution system or for which connectivity is already granted under the present arrangement shall not be required to apply for connectivity for the same capacity. However, in case of extension of capacity of generator including captive generating plant or increase in power requirement of the consumer, including captive user it shall be required to make fresh application for modification to the connectivity provisions under these Regulations :Provided that the connectivity already established does not entitle any interchange of power with the grid unless the Generator obtains Long-term Open access or Medium-term Open access or Short-term Open Access as the case may be.5.13The Distribution Licensee shall convey its decision on grant of connectivity within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of application.
