MSERC/REG/2015/01: In exercise of powers conferred under sections 61, 66, 86(1) (e) and 181 of the Electricity Act, 2003 (Act 36 of 2003) and all other powers enabling it in this behalf, Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission hereby makes the following regulations, after previous publication in the Meghalaya Gazette namely, the Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission (Rooftop Solar Grid Interactive systems based on Net metering) Regulations, 2015
PRELIMINARY
1 Short title and commencement These regulations may be called the Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission (Rooftop Solar Grid Interactive systems based on Net metering) Regulations, 2015
1.1 These regulations may come into force from the date of their notification in the Official Gazette.
2 Definitions and Interpretations
2.1 In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires,
a) “Act” means the Electricity Act, 2003 (36 of 2003) and subsequent amendments thereof;
b) “Agreement” means an agreement entered into by the Distribution licensee and the consumer;
c) “Billing cycle or billing period” means the period for which regular electricity bills as specified by the Commission, are prepared for different categories of consumers by the licensee;
d) “Commission” means the Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission constituted under the Act;
e) ‘consumer’ means any person who is supplied with electricity for his own use by a licensee or the Government or by any other person engaged in the business of supplying electricity to the public under this Act or any other law for the time being in force and includes any person whose premises are, for the time being, connected for the purpose of receiving electricity with the works of a distribution licensee, the Government or such other person, as the case may be;
f) “contracted load” or “contract demand” means the maximum demand in kW, kVA or BHP, agreed to be supplied by the licensee and indicated in the agreement executed between the licensee and the consumer;
g) “Distribution licensee” or “licensee” means a person granted a license under Section 14 of the Act authorizing him to operate and maintain a distribution system for supplying electricity to the consumers in his area of supply;
h) “Electricity Supply Code” means the Meghalaya State Electricity Supply Code specified under section 50 of the Act and subsequent amendments thereof
i) ‘eligible consumer’ means a consumer of electricity in the area of supply of the distribution licensee, who uses a rooftop solar system installed in the consumer premises, to offset part or all of the consumer’s own electrical requirements, given that such systems can be selfowned or third party owned;
j) “financial year” or “year” means the period beginning from first of April in an English calendar year and ending with the thirty first of the March of the next year;
k) “Interconnection point” means the interface of solar power generation facility system with the network of distribution licensee;
l) “Invoice” means either a Monthly Bill / Supplementary Bill or a Monthly Invoice/ Supplementary Invoice raised by the distribution licensee
m) “kWp” means kilo Watt peak; n) “net metering” means an arrangement under which rooftop solar system the system installed at eligible consumer premises delivers surplus electricity, if any, to the Distribution Licensee after off-setting the electricity supplied by distribution licensee during the applicable billing period.
o) “Obligated entity” means the entity mandated under clause (e) of subsection (1) of section 86 of the Act to fulfill the renewable purchase obligation and identified under RPO Regulations;
p) “premises” means rooftops or/and elevated areas on the land, building or infrastructure or part or combination thereof in respect of which a separate meter or metering arrangements have been made by the licensee for supply of electricity;
q) ‘rooftop solar system’ means the solar photo voltaic power system installed on the rooftops of consumer premises that uses sunlight for direct conversion into electricity through photo voltaic technology;
r) “Renewable Energy Certificate (REC)” means the certificate issued in accordance with the procedures approved by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission;
s) ‘settlement period” means the period beginning from the first of April in an English calendar year and ending with the thirty-first of the March of the next year;
t) “tariff order” in respect of a licensee means the most recent order issued by the Commission for that licensee indicating the rates to be charged by the licensee from various categories of consumers for the supply of electrical energy and services;
2.2 All other words and expressions used in these Regulations although not specifically defined herein above, but defined in the Act, shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Act.
3 Scope and application
3.1 These Regulations shall apply to the distribution licensee and consumers of electricity of the distribution licensee of the State of Meghalaya.
3.2 The eligible consumer may install the rooftop solar system under net metering arrangement which,
a) shall be within the permissible rated capacity as defined under these Regulations and/or as may be determined by the Commission as and when required.
b) shall be located in the consumer premises.
c) shall interconnect and operate safely in parallel with the distribution licensee network.
3.3 These regulations do not preclude the right of relevant state authorities/Government to undertake rooftop solar projects above 1 MWp capacity through alternative mechanisms.
4 General Principles
4.1 The distribution licensee shall offer the provision of net metering arrangement to the consumer, who intends to install a grid-connected rooftop solar system, in its area of supply on a non-discriminatory and first come first serve basis on the charges as may be allowed by the Commission.
Provided that the distribution licensee shall offer the provision of net metering to the consumer for the target capacity as specified under these Regulations;
Provided further that the consumer is eligible to install the grid-connected rooftop solar system of the rated capacity as specified under these Regulations; Provided also that the interconnection of such system with the grid is undertaken as specified under these Regulations till such time the competent authority notifies the technical standards for connectivity with the grid.
5 Capacity Targets for distribution licensee
5.1 The distribution licensee shall provide net metering arrangement to eligible consumers as long as the total capacity (in MW) does not exceed the target capacity as may be determined by the Commission from time to time;
Provided that the capacity of the renewable energy system to be installed at the premises of any consumer shall not be less than 1KW peak.
Provided a maximum cumulative capacity of 1 MW shall be allowed to eligible consumers under net metering, on yearly basis, in the area of supply of the distribution licensee;
Provided that the cumulative capacity to be allowed at a particular distribution transformer shall not exceed 15% of the peak capacity of the distribution transformer;
5.2 The distribution licensee shall update distribution transformer level capacity available for connecting rooftop solar systems under net metering arrangement on yearly basis and shall provide the information on its website as well as to the Commission.
5.3 In order to promote solar power the licensee may propose the rise in allowable cumulative maximum capacity for a year under net metering for the commission’s approval.
Meghalaya DISCOM official website:
Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd. – https://meghsolar.meghalaya.gov.in/