Govt Notifies Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TSERC)

State Government’s Energy Department has issued GO 3 for constituting the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission. The Commission may fully become functional in 3 months after due process.

The GO is issued exercising powers conferred under sub-section (1) of Section 82 of the  Electricity Act, 2003 along with section 92 of A.P. Reorganisation Act, 2014. With the approval of the Governor of Telangana State, the GO laid down procedures to constitute a State Electricity Regulatory Commission for the State of Telangana to be called as “Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission” (TSERC), with one Chairman and two members.

The State Commission shall discharge the following functions, namely: -

(a) determine the tariff for generation, supply, transmission and wheeling of
electricity, wholesale, bulk or retail, as the case may be, within the State:
Providing that where open access has been permitted to a category of consumers
under section 42, the State Commission shall determine only the wheeling charges
and surcharge thereon, if any, for the said category of consumers;
(b) regulate electricity purchase and procurement process of distribution
licensees including the price at which electricity shall be procured from the
generating companies or licensees or from other sources through
agreements for purchase of power for distribution and supply within the
State;
(c) facilitate intra-state transmission and wheeling of electricity;
(d) issue licences to persons seeking to act as transmission licensees,
distribution licensees and electricity traders with respect to their operations
within the State;
(e) promote congenration and generation of electricity from renewable sources
of energy by providing suitable measures for connectivity with the grid and
sale of electricity to any person, and also specify, for purchase of electricity
from such sources, a percentage of the total consumption of electricity in
the area of a distribution licence;
(f) adjudicate upon the disputes between the licensees, and generating
companies and to refer any dispute for arbitration;
(g) levy fee for the purposes of this Act;
(h) specify State Grid Code consistent with the Grid Code specified under
clause (h) of sub-section (1) of section 79;
(i) specify or enforce standards with respect to quality, continuity and
reliability of service by licensees;
(j) fix the trading margin in the intra-State trading of electricity, if considered,
necessary; and
(k) discharge such other functions as may be assigned to it under this Act.
(2) The State Commission shall advise the State Government on all or any
of the following matters, namely :-.
(i) promotion of competition, efficiency and economy in activities of the
electricity industry;
(ii) promotion of investment in electricity industry;
(iii) reorganization and restructuring of electricity industry in the State;
(iv) matters concerning generation, transmission , distribution and trading of
electricity or any other matter referred to the State Commission by that
Government.
(3) The State Commission shall ensure transparency while exercising its powers and
discharging its functions.
(4) In discharge of its functions the State Commission shall be guided by the National
Electricity Policy, National Electricity Plan and tariff policy published under
subsection (2) of section 3.