Giving a major relief to CREST, an agency executing solar power projects in Chandigarh, the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has revised the tariff for selling of solar power at `6.80 per unit against `1.13 per unit fixed in April.
In its orders issued on Monday, the JERC has approved the selling of solar power at the rate of `6.80 per unit, after hearing the review petition filed by CREST.
The JERC has also directed the CREST to create a separate fund for collection of the returns generated from the solar rooftop projects in the city. CREST, under the aegis of UT Department of Science and Technology has been established for the promotion of renewable energy programme in the city.
The Commission orders stated, “The approved tariff is applicable to rooftop solar photo voltaic power plants developed, implemented under central financial assistance, entering into power purchase agreements (PPA) with the UT Electricity Department. Commission further directs the CREST to create a separate fund under the anvil of the Department of Science and Technology (D&ST) for collection of the returns generated from the rooftop projects under consideration.”
“Separate accounts should be maintained for this fund. This fund will be maintained and utilized by the D&ST for promoting programmes related to promotion of activities related to renewable energy generation / energy efficiency in the union territory of Chandigarh,” said the orders.
Notably, the CREST had filed a review petition on fixing of solar power tariffs after JERC’s orders dated April 11, where the Commission had fixed a low tariff of `1.13 per unit as against `8.75 per unit demanded by CREST.
While talking to The Pioneer, Santosh Kumar, CEO CREST and Director, UT Science & Technology Department said, “The Commission has fixed the selling of solar power at `6.80 per unit to UT Electricity Department. The JERC’s decision taken after hearing the review petition filed by CREST would give a major boost to the model solar city project of the city.”
He said, “The Commission has asked the CREST to create a separate fund.”
In past two years, the CREST has installed solar photovoltaic (SPV) power plants on Government buildings which, together, have a capacity of producing more than 2790 KWp electricity.
The aim of installation of these SPV power plants is to produce electricity that could be put to use in the buildings, thus cutting down on the power bills.
According to the petition filed last year, the Department had installed power plants at more than 10 locations in Chandigarh. And, from eight SPV power plants, more than 2,80,000 units of electricity was produced.
The petition was filed under Sections 61, 62, 86 and 181 of the Electricity Act, 2003, read with the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Goa and Union Territories (procurement of renewable energy) Regulations, 2010, for seeking determination of preferential tariff under net metering for the Rooftop SolarPhotovolatic Power project of CREST and for the sale of such power to the Electricity Department of Chandigarh.