Haryana allow Open Access policy in power sector

Chandigarh, May 11 (UNI) In a significant decision, the Haryana government has decided to allow consumers to get power from any source under the Open Access policy as per the Electricity Act, 2003.

An official spokesman said under the Open Access policy a consumer could meet their power requirements from any generator or from any trader located anywhere in the country, besides the local distribution company.

However, this would to be regulated by various regulations issued by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Ltd (HVPNL) had notified the Open Access in May 2005.

This regulation provided that in the first phase consumers having contract demand of 15 MVA and above may use the Open Access with effect from October 1, 2006 and in the second phase consumer with demand of 3 MVA and above could use Open Access from October 1, 2007.

Consumers having contract demand of 1 MVA and above had been allowed Open Access with effect from April 1, 2008, he added.

He said that Haryana Power Utilities took stock of the prevailing deficit situation in power availability and it was felt that long Open Access to bulk consumer should be preponed in order to help them source their own power requirements and also to help the overall availability in the state to improve.

Accordingly, the HVPN coordinated with various industrial associations in the State and other power utilities and notified Open Access Policy on April 20, 2006 According to this policy consumers having 1 MW and above contract demand can bring in power through Open Access.

He said that detailed guidelines and procedural instructions had been issued by the HVPNL for the purpose. These guidelines and instructions had also been placed on the HVPNL website: www.haryanaelectricity.com for reference of potential open access users.

The spokesman said: ''This is a new beginning in the power sector in Haryana and it is hoped that large industrial and commercial consumers may like to source their requirements of power directly from generators in the medium and long term and make actually available uniterrupted and quality power supply.'' As an incentive towards the use of open access two distribution companies in the state had waived off the open access surcharge for the period April to June, 2006.

UNI MA MIR DB2051