The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) has included hydropower purchase obligations in the seventh amendment to its renewable power purchase obligations (RPO).

The Commission revised the RPO target for financial years (FY) 2021 to 2024 and included hydropower purchase obligation under the non-solar RPO.

It has specified 8.50% solar RPO while non-solar RPO included 8.90% wind, 0.90% biomass, and 0.18% hydropower purchase obligations for FY 2021-22.

For FY 2022-23, the solar RPO is set at 9.50%, wind at 9.10%, biomass at 1%, and hydropower purchase obligations at 0.35%. The total RPO target for FY 2023-24 is 21.66%. Of this, 10.50% is allocated to solar, 9.4% to wind, 1.1% to biomass, and 0.66% to hydropower.

The Commission said if solar RPO compliances stood at 80% or above, DISCOMs could cover the shortfall by excess non-solar power consumed over the non-solar RPO target for that year. If non-solar RPO compliance reaches 80% or above, the shortfall could be met with excess solar or hydropower consumed above that year’s solar RPO or hydropower purchase obligation. If the hydropower purchase compliance stood at 80% or above, DISCOMs could cover the deficit through excess solar or non-solar energy consumed beyond their specified RPO.

Hydropower imported from outside India should not be considered for meeting hydropower purchase obligations.

In September, RERC issued a draft paper to amend the RERC (Renewable Energy Obligation) Regulations, 2007.

In February, the Ministry of Power specified  RPO targets, including large hydropower projects commissioned after March 8, 2019.

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Harsh Shukla is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Previously with Indian Express, he has covered general interest stories. He holds a Masters Degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune.

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