Trading through power exchanges-Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and Power Exchange India (PXI) is no more a monopoly of distribution companies alone. Now, consumers can directly purchase power through power exchanges due to open access in transmission .
For the first time, on July 23, a consumer from Rajasthan registered and traded in power through IEX. However no power was purchased on the first day. Rajasthan has taken the lead and granted open access to consumers namely RSWM Lt at Gulabpura to purchase power through IEX, which is currently engaged in the day ahead trading.
According to IEX sources, a consumer can purchase power 39 megawatt hours (mwh) for 7 hours of the day at average spot price of Rs 2.9 per unit on July 24 onwards and on July 25, 77mwh at average spot price of Rs 2.3 per unit. It is noteworthy that on Day-Ahead Market, a consumer can quote its own purchase price on IEX for any hours of the day and if the market clearing price for that hour is lower , he will get power for that hour. This way, he can minimise the purchase costs and also avoid load shedding and demand cut.
Similarly, power ministry sources admitted that this was a major developmement in the power sector especially when the top officials of the country including PMO, ministry, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and various consumer organizations were concerned about the open access for the end-consumers. Sources told FEB ? It has been since more than 6 years, the industry was awaiting implementation of provisions of sections 38(2)(d) and 48(2)(d) of Electricity Act,2003 whereby consumers were to be allowed to get power from agencies other than distribution licencees of the area.
The current shortages, due to delayed monsoon, has been putting pressure on state distribution companies to allow their high tension (HT) consumers to purchase power to avoid demand cut and energy cut. Many states like Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra are reeling under severe shortages and some states have no cash to buy power from the grid.
CERC sources said as per the recent regulations, the State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) would verify the necessary infrastructure for block-wise energy metering and accounting in accordance with the provisions of the Grid Code in force, and availability of surplus transmission capacity in the sate network.
SLDC conveys its concurrence or no objection or prior standing clearance to the applicant in such cases where existence of necessary infrastructure and availability of surplus transmission capacity in the state network has been established.