State electricity regulatory commissions in India are autonomous, statutory and regulatory bodies constituted for ensuring generation and distribution of electricity in the states and union territories of India. They are formed by notification in official gazette in accordance with the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998. The commissions are vested with legislative and judicial powers to resolve conflicts between licence holders of production and distribution of electricity, or consumers and electricity distribution entities, and authority to draft regulations and sub ordinate regulations. The president and other members of such commissions are appointed by state governments in consultation with the Chief Justice of the state High Court.

History and objectives

State electricity regulatory commissions are formed with the following objectives:[1][2][3][4]

  • Acts as a regulator for distribution licensees during the purchase and procurement of electricity by them .
  • Facilitates the transmission of electricity between different states.
  • Facilitates issuing of licences to transmission and distribution licensees applicants and electricity traders within the state.
  • Fix the rates during wholesale, bulk or retail generation of electricity and its supply, transmission and wheeling within the state.
  • Resolve conflicts between the licensees and/or the generating companies.
  • Integrate state grid codes with the grid code designed by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) .
  • Streamlining electricity tariff.
  • Transparency in designing subsidy related policies.
  • Promoting environmental policity in matters relating to electricity.
  • Any other matters connected or incidental with it.

Advisory role

State electricity regulatory commissions also have advisory roles:[5]

  • Designing schemes promoting electricity industry related investment.
  • Planning initiatives in Electrical industry which promotes competition and improves efficiency and brings economy in activities.
  • Initiating restructuring and reorganisation in Electricity industry.
  • Guiding state government in any issues referred to it which are related to generation, transmission, distribution and trading of electricity in the state.

Powers

State electricity regulatory commissions act as substitutes to civil courts and are vested with legislative and judicial powers to resolve conflicts between licence holders of production and distribution of electricity, or consumers and electricity distribution entities and with authority to draft regulations and sub ordinate regulations.[6][7] They can also issue orders for the recovery of amounts from power consuming entities which are due to electricity generating companies.

Composition

State electricity regulatory commissions generally have three members, one of which is the chairperson.[8]

Chairperson will be appointed by the state government in consultation with the Chief Justice of the state High Court. The eligibility for Chairperson is that he should be serving or served as Judge in any High Court; other members should have good ability, integrity and standing. They should also be proficient experience and expertise knowledge in subjects of accountancy,law,commerce,economics,industry,administration and public affairs and problem solving ability in same.

The Chairperson and members of state electricity regulatory commissions are not permitted to hold any other office of profit or any position which is connected with any political party and are also barred from carrying on any business or continuing any profession in any field.

List of state electricity regulatory commissions

List of state electricity regulatory commissions[9][10]
RankStateAgency
1 Arunachal Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission
2 Assam Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission
3 Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission
4 Bihar Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission
5 Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission
6 Delhi Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission
7 Gujarat Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission
8 Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission
9 Haryana Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission
10 Jharkhand Jharkhand Electricity Regulatory Commission
11 Karnataka Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission
12 Kerala Kerala Electricity Regulatory Commission
13 Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission
14 Maharashtra Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission
15 Meghalaya Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission
16 Nagaland Nagaland Electricity Regulatory Commission
17 Orissa Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission
18 Punjab Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission
19 Rajasthan Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission
20 Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission
21 Tripura Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission
22 Uttarakhand Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission
23 Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission
24 West Bengal West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission
25 Manipur and Mizoram Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for the States of Manipur & Mizoram
26 Union Territories Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Union Territories

References

  1. ↑ "Establishment and incorporation of State Commission | Company Vakil Legal Library". companyvakil.com. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  2. ↑ Ranjan, Rakesh (4 May 2021). "Ministry Directs Electricity Regulators to Ensure Timely Issue of Tariff Orders". Mercom India. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  3. ↑ "A comparison of renewable energy regulations". Law.asia. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  4. ↑ "Power Of The State Electricity Regulatory Commission To Review Tariffs Under A Power Purchase Agreement - Energy and Natural Resources - India". mondaq.com. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "Functions of State Electricity Regulatory Commission". Advocatetanmoy Law Library. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  6. ↑ "Government versus regulatory: The Centre must maintain the balance of power". The Financial Express. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  7. ↑ "State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) are a substitute for civil courts and can execute their own orders. Appellate Tribunal and SERCs have the power to issue directions time bound payment: Supreme Court". JSA. 11 October 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  8. ↑ "India Code: Section Details". indiacode.nic.in. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  9. ↑ "State electricity regulatory commissions may become more autonomous". The Economic Times. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  10. ↑ "Reforms jolt: Do we need competition in the power sector?". The Financial Express. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
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