MAHARASHTRA ELECTRICITY REGULATORY …

1 Draft merc (Net Metering for Rooftop Solar Systems) Regulations, 2015 Page 1 of 17 MAHARASHTRA ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION, MUMBAI Draft MAHARASHTRA ELECTRICITY REGULATORY Commission (Net Metering for Rooftop Solar Systems) Regulations, 2015 ELECTRICITY Act, 2003 No. merc / Legal /2015 / _____ In exercise of powers conferred under Sections 86(1) (e) and 181 of the ELECTRICITY Act, 2003 (36 of 2003) and all other powers enabling it in this behalf, and after previous publication, the MAHARASHTRA ELECTRICITY REGULATORY Commission hereby makes the following Regulations, namely:- 1. Short title, extent and commencement These Regulations may be called the MAHARASHTRA ELECTRICITY REGULATORY Commission (Net Metering for Rooftop Solar Systems) Regulations, 2015. These Regulations shall extend to the whole of the State of MAHARASHTRA . These Regulations shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2 2. Definitions In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) Act means the ELECTRICITY Act, 2003 (36 of 2003); (b) Billing Cycle or Billing Period means the period for which ELECTRICITY bill is raised by the concerned Licensee; (c) Commission means the MAHARASHTRA ELECTRICITY REGULATORY Commission constituted under the Act; (d) Consumer means a consumer as defined in the Act; (e) Contract Demand means the demand in kilowatt (kW) / kilovolt ampere (kVA)/ Horse Power (HP), as mutually agreed between the Distribution Licensee and the consumer and as entered into in an agreement which the Distribution Licensee makes Draft merc (Net Metering for Rooftop Solar Systems) Regulations, 2015 Page 2 of 17 a commitment to supply in accordance with the terms and conditions contained therein; or equal to the sanctioned load, where the Contract Demand has not been provided in such agreement; (f) Distribution Licensee means a person granted a Licence under Section 14 of the Act authorizing him to operate and maintain a distribution system for supplying ELECTRICITY to consumers in his area of supply; (g) " ELECTRICITY Supply Code" means the ELECTRICITY Supply Code specified under Section 50 of the Act; (h) Eligible Consumer means a consumer who uses or intends to use a Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) generating system having a capacity not exceeding 1 MW, installed on a rooftop or any other mounting structure in the consumer s premises, to offset all or part of his own electrical power requirements.

3 (i) Interconnection Point means the interface of the Solar PV system with the outgoing terminals of the meter / Distribution Licensee s cut-outs/ switchgear fixed in the premises of the Eligible Consumer. Provided that, in the case of consumers being supplied electrical power at the High Tension (HT) level, the Interconnection Point shall mean the interface of the Solar PV system with the outgoing terminals of the Distribution Licensee s metering cubicle placed before such Consumer s apparatus; (j) Invoice means a Monthly Bill / Supplementary Bill or a Monthly Invoice/ Supplementary Invoice, as the case may be, raised by the Distribution Licensee; (k) kWp means kilo Watt peak; (l) Net Meter means an appropriate energy meter capable of recording both import and export of ELECTRICITY , for recording the net import and net export of ELECTRICITY , as the case may be; (m) Net Metering arrangement means an arrangement under which a Solar PV system installed at Eligible Consumer s premises delivers surplus ELECTRICITY , if any, to the Distribution Licensee after setting off the quantum of ELECTRICITY supplied by such Licensee during the applicable billing period; Draft merc (Net Metering for Rooftop Solar Systems) Regulations, 2015 Page 3 of 17 (n) Net Metering Connection Agreement means an agreement entered into by the Distribution Licensee and the Eligible Consumer for executing a Net Metering arrangement; (o) Obligated Entity means the entity required under clause (e) of sub Section (1) of Section 86 of the Act to fulfill a renewable purchase obligation and identified under Regulation (m) of the merc (Renewable Purchase Obligation, its compliance and Implementation of REC framework) Regulations, 2010.

4 (p) Premises includes any land, building or structure or rooftop, or a part or combination thereof; (q) Rooftop Solar system means the Solar PV power system installed on a rooftop or any other mounting structure on the consumer s 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 prescribed by the Central ELECTRICITY REGULATORY Commission; (s) Year means financial year. Words and expressions used in these Regulations which are not specifically defined herein but are defined in the Act shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Act; and, if not defined in the Act, shall have the meaning assigned to them in any Act of Parliament or the State Legislature applicable to the ELECTRICITY industry. PART A GENERAL 3. General Conditions of Net Metering arrangement Net Metering arrangement shall be permitted by the Distribution Licensee on a non-discriminatory and first come, first serve basis to the Eligible Consumer who intends to install a Rooftop Solar system connected to the network of Distribution Licensee; Provided that the interconnection of such system with the network of the Distribution Licensee is undertaken in accordance with the standards and norms specified in the Central ELECTRICITY Authority (CEA) (Technical Standard for Connectivity of the Distributed Generation Resources) Regulations, 2013.

5 4. Capacity limits at Distribution Transformer level The Distribution Licensee shall allow Net Metering arrangement to Eligible Consumers Draft merc (Net Metering for Rooftop Solar Systems) Regulations, 2015 Page 4 of 17 so long as the cumulative capacity utilized at a particular distribution transformer does not exceed 15% of the rated capacity of that distribution transformer; Provided that the Distribution Licensee may allow Net Metering connectivity exceeding 15% of such rated capacity based on a detailed load study carried out by it. The Distribution Licensee shall provide yearly, on its website and to the Commission, information regarding the distribution transformer level capacity available for connecting Rooftop Solar system under Net Metering arrangements. PART B TECHNICAL ARRANGEMENTS 5. Eligible Consumer and individual project capacity All the Eligible Consumers in the area of supply of the Distribution Licensee may participate in the Rooftop Solar Net Metering arrangement.

6 The maximum Rooftop Solar system capacity to be installed at any Eligible Consumer s premises shall be governed by the available capacity of the service line connections of the Eligible Consumer s premises and the cumulative capacity utilized at particular distribution transformer as per Regulation of above; Provided that the capacity of the Rooftop Solar system to be connected at Eligible Consumer s premises shall not exceed his Contract Demand or connected load of the Eligible Consumer to be read with Regulation of above. The capacity limits for the connectivity of Rooftop Solar system to the network of Distribution Licensee under these Regulations shall be as defined in Regulation of the merc (Standards of Performance of Distribution Licensee, Period of giving Supply and Determination of Compensation) Regulations, 2014, which are as follows: Sr. No. Voltage level Threshold limit of Rooftop Solar PV system 1 230/240 V (1 Ф) Less than 8 kW/40 A 2 400/415 V (3 Ф) Less than 80kW/100 kVA Less than 150kW/187 kVA (Municipal Corporation areas) 3 11kV and above Up to 1000 kVA Up to 1000 kVA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region) 6.

7 Interconnection with the Distribution Network / Grid, Standards and Safety The Distribution Licensee shall ensure that the interconnection of the Rooftop Solar system with its network conforms to the specifications, standard and other provisions Draft merc (Net Metering for Rooftop Solar Systems) Regulations, 2015 Page 5 of 17 specified in the CEA (Technical Standard for connectivity of the Distributed Generation Resources) Regulations, 2013 and CEA ( Measures relating Safety and Electric supply), Regulations, 2010 and the merc (State Grid Code) Regulations,2006. The Eligible Consumer may install Rooftop Solar system with or without battery back-up; Provided that, if the Eligible Consumer prefers connectivity with battery back-up, the inverter shall have a separate back-up wiring to prevent the battery/ decentralized generation (DG) power from flowing into the grid in the absence of grid supply, both automatic and manual isolation switch shall also be provided.

8 The Eligible Consumer shall be responsible for the safe operation, maintenance and rectification of any defect of the Solar Rooftop system upto the point of Net Meter, beyond which point the responsibility of safe operation, maintenance and rectification of any defect in the system, including the Net Meter, shall rest with the concerned Distribution Licensee. The Distribution Licensee shall have the right to disconnect the Rooftop Solar system at any time in the event of any threat of accident or damage from such system to its distribution system. The Distribution Licensee and Eligible Consumer shall comply with all necessary roles and responsibilities as specified in the relevant CEA Regulations. 7. Metering Arrangement Net metering arrangement shall have two meters including one bi-directional meter which is also known as Net Meter. The Net Meter will be single phase or three phase as per the requirement.

9 All the meters shall adhere to the Standards as specified in CEA (Installation and Operation of meters) Regulations 2006, and subsequent amendments thereof. The Net Meter and all other meters in the premises of the Eligible Consumer shall be procured and installed by the Distribution Licensee as per the provisions of merc ( ELECTRICITY Supply Code and Other Conditions of Supply) Regulations, 2005. The Distribution Licensee shall be responsible for specifications, supply, installation, testing and maintenance of the metering arrangement. Provided that in case of existing Eligible Consumer, the Distribution Licensee shall replace the existing meter of Eligible Consumer with Net Meter. Draft merc (Net Metering for Rooftop Solar Systems) Regulations, 2015 Page 6 of 17 However, if the Eligible Consumer wishes to procure all the meters including Net Meter, he may procure such meters and present the same to the Distribution Licensee for testing and installation.

10 The location of Net Meter shall be at the point of interconnection which shall be ascertained by the Distribution Licensee. The Distribution Licensee shall also install another meter known as solar generation meter at appropriate location to measure the total units generated from Rooftop Solar system. All meters, including the Net Meter shall be installed at an accessible location in the premises of Eligible Consumer to facilitate easy access to the Distribution Licensee for meter reading. 8. Procedure for Application and Registration The Eligible Consumer shall submit the application to the concerned Distribution Licensee for connectivity of Rooftop Solar system with the distribution network of the concerned Distribution Licensee in the prescribed format along with registration fee of Rs. 1000 concerned Distribution Licensee shall acknowledge the receipt of application.