The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), in a bid to make available easier grid connectivity to the hydro-electric power stations and the other generating stations based on renewable sources of energy, has taken an important regulatory initiative.
While the threshold capacity for connecting to inter-state grid would be 250 Mw for thermal power stations, the threshold has been reduced to 50 Mw for the hydropower generating stations and other stations using renewable sources of energy. At present, of the 150,000 Mw of India’s installed generating capacity, nearly 17,000 Mw, or just over 10 per cent, is sourced from renewable power.
Another important regulatory change has been made to permit connectivity to inter-state grid to such hydropower-generating stations and renewable energy source-based stations which have individually installed capacity of less than 50 Mw but approach the Power Grid Corp, the central transmission utility, collectively with an aggregate installed capacity of 50 Mw and above. CERC explained that two hydropower generating stations having a capacity of 30 Mw and 20 Mw can collectively seek connectivity with inter-state grid at a single connection point if they mutually agree to undertake operational and commercial responsibilities through a lead generator which can be one of these two generating stations.
