Discoms jittery over ISTS charge waiver

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh's power distribution companies (Discoms) are facing uncertainty over the inter-state transmission system (ISTS) charges applicable to the 7000 MW solar power purchase agreement signed with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC), in a letter to the special chief secretary (energy department), said that the Discoms are apprehensive about the potential impact of the grid-connected renewable energy (GNA) regulations issued by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) on the 100% waiver of ISTS charges stipulated in the PPA.
The issue was extensively discussed at the southern electricity regulators forum meeting held in Kurnool on August 2. Subsequently, the matter was referred to a working group on renewable energy-related policy and regulatory matters.
The APERC chairman is a member of this working group, which held a meeting in New Delhi on August 9. CERC officials informed the group that applying the GNA-RE regulations to an agency exclusively involved in renewable energy power supply could be a potential solution to ensure 100% waiver of ISTS charges.
APERC has indicated that if SECI does not take responsibility to waiver ISTS charges, the Andhra Pradesh Rural Agriculture Power Supply Company Limited (APRAPSCOM) may apply for GNA-RE under the relevant regulations, subject to necessary approvals.