Section 4 in Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions of Tariff) Regulations, 2014
4. Date of Commercial Operation.
- The date of commercial operation of a generating station or unit or block thereof or a transmission system or element thereof shall be determined as under:(1)Date of commercial operation in case of a generating unit or block of the thermal generating station shall mean the date declared by the generating company after demonstrating the maximum continuous rating (MCR) or the installed capacity (IC) through a successful trial run after notice to the beneficiaries, if any, and in case of the generating station as a whole, the date of commercial operation of the last generating unit or block of the generating station:Provided that(i)where the beneficiaries have been tied up for purchasing power from the generating station, the trial run shall commence after seven days notice by the generating company to the beneficiaries and scheduling shall commence from 0000 hr after completion of the trial run:(ii)the generating company shall certify to the effect that the generating station meets the key provisions of the technical standards of Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Construction of Electrical plants and electric lines) Regulations, 2010 and Grid Code:(iii)the certificate shall be signed by CMD/CEO/MD of the company subsequent to its approval by the Board of Directors in the format enclosed at Appendix VI and a copy of the certificate shall be submitted to the Member Secretary, (concerned Regional Power Committee) and concerned RLDC before declaration of COD:(2)Date of commercial operation in relation to a generating unit of hydro generating station including pumped storage hydro generating station shall mean the date declared by the generating company from 0000 hour after the scheduling process in accordance with the Grid code is fully implemented, and in relation to the generating station as a whole, the date declared by the generating company after demonstrating peaking capability corresponding to installed capacity of the generating station through a successful trial run:Provided that:(i)where beneficiaries have been tied up for purchasing power from generating station, scheduling process for a generating unit of the generating station or demonstration of peaking capability corresponding to installed capacity of the generating station through a successful trial run shall commence after seven days notice by the generating company to the beneficiaries and scheduling shall commence from 0000 hr after completion of trial run:(ii)the generating company shall certify to the effect that the generating station meets key provisions of the technical standards of Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Construction of Electrical plants and electric lines) Regulations, 2010 and Grid code:(iii)the certificate shall be signed by CMD/CEO/MD of the company subsequent to its approval by the Board of Directors in the format enclosed at Appendix VI and a copy of the certificate shall be submitted to the Member Secretary, (concerned Regional Power Committee) and concerned RLDC before declaration of COD:(iv)in case a hydro generating station with pondage or storage is not able to demonstrate peaking capability corresponding to the installed capacity for the reasons of insufficient reservoir or pond level, the date of commercial operation of the last unit of the generating station shall be considered as the date of commercial operation of the generating station as a whole, and it will be mandatory for such hydro generating station to demonstrate peaking capability equivalent to installed capacity of the generating unit or the generating station as and when such reservoir/pond level is achieved:(v)if a run-of-river hydro generating station or a generating unit thereof is declared under commercial operation during lean inflows period when the water inflow is insufficient for such demonstration of peaking capability, it shall be mandatory for such hydro generating station or generating unit to demonstrate peaking capability equivalent to installed capacity as and when sufficient water inflow is available.(3)Date of commercial operation in relation to a transmission system shall mean the date declared by the transmission licensee from 0000 hour of which an element of the transmission system is in regular service after successful trial operation for transmitting electricity and communication signal from sending end to receiving end:Provided that:(i)where the transmission line or substation is dedicated for evacuation of power from a particular generating station, the generating company and transmission licensee shall endeavour to commission the generating station and the transmission system simultaneously as far as practicable and shall ensure the same through appropriate Implementation Agreement in accordance with Regulation 12(2) of these Regulations :(ii)in case a transmission system or an element thereof is prevented from regular service for reasons not attributable to the transmission licensee or its supplier or its contractors but is on account of the delay in commissioning of the concerned generating station or in commissioning of the upstream or downstream transmission system, the transmission licensee shall approach the Commission through an appropriate application for approval of the date of commercial operation of such transmission system or an element thereof.(4)Date of commercial operation in relation to a communication system or element thereof shall mean the date declared by the transmission licensee from 0000 hour of which a communication system or element is put into service after completion of site acceptance test including transfer of voice and data to respective control centre as certified by the respective Regional Load Dispatch Centre.
