Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has directed Tangedco to process all pending applications from High Tension (HT) industries for setting up rooftop solar systems and take action to energise these connections as per the existing provision.
The power regulator also warned that a fine of ₹500 per day would be imposed on the officials concerned for each day of delay from June 29.
As per the current provision, HT consumers (such as factories and commercial establishments like malls) can put up solar rooftop systems.
Under an operation called paralleling, industries setting up rooftop or ground-mounted solar power projects are allowed to connect their projects with their existing service connection but cannot export the excess energy to the grid. So these premises have to either store the excess generation or curtail it. However, Tangedco claimed such an operation was causing revenue loss and therefore, filed a petition before the TNERC seeking an appropriate order for extending a gross metering methodology to all HT consumers for establishing rooftop/ground mounted solar projects above 10 kilovolts. It also said a net-feed-in mechanism was not viable.
Tangedco had not cleared the applications for rooftop systems due its pending petition with the TNERC.
The regulatory commission also directed the industries whose applications were pending as on date to give an undertaking they would abide by its final order in Tangedco’s petition and any amount found to be due from them should be paid immediately.
The TNERC also directed a copy of its order to be marked to Tangedco’s chief for appropriate action.
