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Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) filed a petition with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) under Section 79(1)(c) of the Electricity Act, 2003, seeking relaxation of the timeline for submitting bank guarantees for a 180 MW wind project in Parli, Beed, Maharashtra. The project is part of a larger 610 MW renewable energy initiative for supplying 200 MW of Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) power to NTPC. The petition, numbered 89/MP/2025, was decided on March 25, 2025.
TPREL was granted in-principle connectivity approval on November 12, 2024, under the Connectivity and General Network Access (GNA) Regulations, 2022, and was required to submit the necessary connectivity bank guarantees (Con BGs) within 30 days, by December 12, 2024. Due to internal personnel changes, the deadline was inadvertently missed, and the guarantee was submitted online on December 13, 2024, followed by a physical submission on December 16, 2024. However, Central Transmission Utility of India Limited (CTUIL) rejected the submission due to the delay.
In the petition, TPREL requested the Commission to condone the four-day delay, arguing that the missed deadline was unintentional and resulted from unforeseen circumstances. The company sought relief under Regulations 41 and 42 of the GNA Regulations, which allow for regulatory relaxations under specific conditions. The petition also requested an order preventing CTUIL from rejecting the connectivity application and revoking the in-principle grant.
The project originated from NTPC’s Request for Selection (RfS) issued on October 31, 2023, to procure 3,000 MW of FDRE power. TPREL was awarded a contract on April 22, 2024, for 200 MW out of the total 610 MW capacity. Following this, on May 8, 2024, TPREL submitted its application to CTUIL for connectivity. The application underwent review, and on August 2, 2024, CTUIL granted in-principle connectivity.
TPREL emphasized that all necessary regulatory processes were followed, and the delay in submitting the Con BGs was not deliberate. The company urged CERC to provide relief, highlighting that any adverse action by CTUIL would negatively impact the execution of the renewable energy project.
The Commission considered TPREL’s request for interim relief and was asked to issue an ex-parte ad interim order preventing CTUIL from revoking the connectivity approval and taking coercive measures until the final decision was made. TPREL sought assurance that the project would not face unnecessary hurdles due to the minor delay.
CERC reviewed the petition, considering the regulatory framework and past precedents. The final decision took into account whether the delay could be condoned without disrupting regulatory compliance and fairness to other applicants. The order set a precedent for handling similar cases where procedural delays occur due to genuine administrative challenges.
The case highlighted the importance of adhering to regulatory timelines while also considering practical challenges faced by companies in large-scale renewable energy projects. The outcome of the petition had significant implications for project developers and regulatory bodies, influencing the interpretation of the GNA Regulations in future cases.
