MAHARASHTRA ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION World Trade Centre, Centre No.1, 13th Floor, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai – 400 005 Tel. 022 22163964/65/69 Fax 22163976 Email:
[email protected] Website: www.merc.gov.in MAHARASHTRA ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION (GRID INTERACTIVE ROOFTOP RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEMS) REGULATIONS, 2019 STATEMENT OF REASONS Dated:30 December, 2019 Introduction The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC or Commission) notified the MERC (Net Metering for Roof-top Solar Photo Voltaic Systems) Regulations, 2015 [hereinafter referred as MERC Net Metering Regulations, 2015] in September 2015. The Commission notified the first amendment to MERC Net Metering Regulations, 2015 in July 2017, and extended the scope of the Regulations to all grid connected Renewable Energy (RE) Generating Systems. The Commission formulated the draft MERC (Grid Interactive Rooftop Renewable Energy Generating Systems) Regulations, 2019 (hereinafter referred as “Draft Grid Interactive Rooftop RE Regulations, 2019”). While formulating the Draft Grid Interactive Rooftop RE Regulations, 2019, the Commission has been guided by the FOR-Model Regulations, 2019, relevant Regulations of this Commission and Regulations specified by other State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) etc., as well as Petitions filed by different entities seeking modifications in the MERC Net Metering Regulations, 2015. The Commission has proposed modifications in the draft to certain clauses vis-à-vis the clauses specified in the MERC Net Metering Regulations, 2015 (as amended in July 2017) based on Statement of Reasons for MERC (Grid Interactive Rooftop RE) Regulations, 2019 Page 1 of 68 the experiences in implementation of the Net Metering Regulations, and in order to simplify/clarify/amend certain provisions as considered reasonable.