| Work Detail |
The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) issued an order on March 18, 2025, in the case of M/s Agrawal Sponge Private Limited. The company had filed a petition under clause 5(5) of CSERC’s Connectivity and Intra-State Open Access Regulations, 2011. They requested an exemption from having a dedicated feeder to avail long-term open access to draw solar power from their 2.84 MW solar power project located at Thandar, District Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai. The petitioner aimed to use solar power for captive consumption at their plant in Siltara, Raipur. Agrawal Sponge explained that both the injection point (where power is fed into the grid) and the drawl point (where power is consumed) were within the same distribution licensee’s area, which is CSPDCL (Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited). Because the transmission system was not involved, they argued that the requirement for a dedicated feeder should be waived. They also mentioned that their energy drawl would be minimal, making a dedicated feeder unnecessary and financially impractical. The petitioner committed to installing an ABT meter with AMR and RTU for online data communication at the drawl point, as per regulations. They also agreed not to claim any compensation if there was an outage or shutdown of the multi-consumer HV feeder supplying them power. CSPDCL and CSPTCL (Chhattisgarh State Power Transmission Company Limited), the respondents, did not oppose the request but placed certain conditions. These included the installation of metering equipment and acceptance of load restrictions. The State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) was later impleaded as a respondent since the case involved solar energy injection at a pooling substation. SLDC was responsible for ensuring the scheduling and forecasting of solar generation as per CSERC’s earlier order dated May 29, 2024, in Petition No. 48 of 2023. This order established the procedures for handling the scheduling of solar and wind power at pooling substations within Chhattisgarh. During the hearings, CSPDCL submitted that they had commissioned NIT Raipur to study the impact of injecting solar energy into the pooling substation at Thandar. The interim report revealed concerns like voltage fluctuations, harmonics, and the need for reactive power management. It also recommended the installation of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to stabilize the grid. After reviewing the submissions, CSERC exempted Agrawal Sponge from having a dedicated feeder. The approval was given based on their agreement to comply with the conditions laid out by CSPDCL and CSPTCL. The Commission stressed that all parties, including SLDC and other connected solar generators, must follow the forecasting and scheduling procedures for solar power set out in its previous orders. This decision is one of several similar petitions filed by industries seeking exemptions for their solar energy projects in the state. It highlights Chhattisgarh’s growing emphasis on integrating solar power into its energy system while maintaining grid stability and operational efficiency. The order underscores the role of regulatory oversight in balancing industrial growth with renewable energy goals. |
