The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission(DERC) has published the implementation guidelines for net-metering systems. It may be recalled that the DERC had notified the regulations for Net Metering on September 2, 2014(more details here). Some of the highlights are reproduced below.
a. Distribution Transformer level capacity to be offered for Connecting Renewable EnergySystem for Net Metering by the Distribution Licensee shall not be less than 20% (Twenty percent) of the rated capacity of respective distribution transformer. The commission has the discretion to modify the same.
b. There will be a 3 tier process for connectivity under the net-metering scheme –
i). Feasibility analysis – the application for connectivity will be taken forward only if there is a feasibility for setting up net-metering systems.
ii). Registration – The application forms along with the registration charges(based on the capacity(kW) proposed).
iii). Connection agreement – Within 30 days from the date of registration, the Distribution Licensee and the Consumer shall execute a connection agreement. After obtaining the necessary approvals, the consumer can install the renewable energy system, and within 15 days of the installation/procurement of net-meters by the consumer, the distribution licensee will install the net-meters.
c. Metering Arrangement – The cost of the additional uni-directional meter or the differential cost for a net-meter shall be borne by the consumer. ) Meters shall be Meter Reading instrument (MRI) compliant or AMR (Automatic Meter Reading) or AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) compliant for recording meter readings.
d. Billing & Accounting – The billing for non-Time-of-Day(TOD) consumers and Time-of-Day Consumers are given below.
(1) Non Time of Day Tariff Consumers:
If during any billing period, the export of units exceeds the import of units consumed, such surplus units injected by the consumer shall be carried forward to the next billing period as energy credit and shown as energy exported by the consumer for adjustment against the energy consumed in subsequent billing periods within the settlement period.
(2) Time of Day Tariff Consumers
a) The electricity consumption in any time block (e.g., peak hours, off-peak hours, etc.) shall be first compensated with the electricity generation in the similar time blocks in the same billing cycle. For the purpose of carry forward of surplus or set off of energy credits, the energy units shall be moderated as per the relevant rebate/surcharge percentage of ToD tariff applicable for the relevant year. Any surplus generation over consumption in any time block in a billing cycle shall be accounted as if the surplus generation/ Energy Credits occurred during the off-peak time block. For the purpose of clarity, a sample calculation of moderation of units is given below.
b)If the consumer is injecting energy into the distribution system in the peak hours or in a time block when Distribution Licensee is having more demand than the available energy, Distribution Licensee with the approval of the Commission may propose 7 incentives to such consumers to increase such generation to reduce costly short term power purchase of that time block.
e. Tariff at the end of financial year for surplus energy
The Consumer shall be paid for net energy credits which remain unadjusted at the end of the financial year at the rate of Average Power Purchase Cost (APPC) of the Distribution Licensee for the respective year on provisional basis.
The net-metering guidelines can be downloaded here.
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