The Ministry of Power has introduced new regulations called theCentral Electricity Regulatory Commission (Indian Electricity Grid Code) Regulations, 2023. These regulations shall come into force from such date as the Central Commission may notify
These regulations aim to provide clarity and guidance to entities operating in the power industry and ensure adherence to specified standards and procedures.
According to the new rules, the following entities fall within the scope of these regulations: all users, State Load Despatch Centres, Renewable Energy Management Centres, Regional Load Despatch Centres, National Load Despatch Centre, Central Transmission Utility, State Transmission Utilities, licensees, Regional Power Committees, Settlement Nodal Agencies, Qualified Coordinating Agencies, and Power Exchanges, to the extent applicable.
The regulations clarify that any country connected to the National Grid or Regional Grid will be treated as a separate control area. This recognition enables effective planning of generation and transmission resources to meet projected demand while complying with specified reliability standards. Emphasis is placed on integrating environmentally friendly technologies, such as renewable energy sources, flexible resources, energy storage systems, and demand response measures, to manage the intermittent and variable nature of renewable energy sources.
The new regulations also introduce guidelines for Integrated Resource Planning (IRP). IRP consists of three key components: demand forecasting, generation resource adequacy planning, and transmission resource planning.
Demand forecasting requires each distribution licensee within a state to estimate the demand in their control area, considering factors like open access consumers, captive generating plants, energy efficiency measures, distributed generation, and demand response. The estimation should be carried out for different time horizons, including long-term, medium-term, and short-term, using appropriate methodologies.
Generation resource adequacy planning involves assessing existing generation resources and identifying additional resources required to meet estimated demand. Each distribution licensee must prepare a generation resource procurement plan, considering their capacity contribution, peak demand, and state requirements. The plan should ensure an adequate generation mix and planning reserve margin, in accordance with guidelines from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
To achieve optimal and cost-effective generation resource procurement planning, distribution licensees must consider factors such as their share in the state, regional, and national peak demand, seasonal requirements, and potential sharing of generation capacity with other states. The State Transmission Utility (STU) or designated agency, in coordination with distribution licensees, must provide details to the National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC) for carrying out national-level simulations and assisting states in their generation resource adequacy planning.
The regulations also emphasize the fortification of vegetable oils with micronutrients and the inclusion of permitted antioxidants and food additives. Compliance with fatty acid composition standards is also required.
Additionally, the regulations specify the procedures and requirements for obtaining connectivity to the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) and compliance with technical requirements outlined in the Connection Code. Transmission licensees, both inter-state and intra-state, must sign Connectivity Agreements with the Central Transmission Utility (CTU) or relevant authorities before physical connection to the ISTS.
