The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) has approved the true-up of Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam’s (RVPN) transmission business for the financial year (FY) 2024-25 and determined the transmission tariff of ₹37.8 billion (~$394.99 million) for FY 2026-27.

The approved transmission tariff is ₹157.87 (~$1.66)/kW/month for medium-term and long-term open access, ₹5.19 (~$0.054)/kW/day for short-term open access, and ₹0.33 (~$0.0034)/kWh for use of the state transmission system in interstate short-term open access bilateral and power exchange transactions.

The tariff will apply from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, while the short-term open access tariff will apply from June 1, 2026, with no retrospective adjustment.

Background

RVPN filed a petition seeking approval of the true-up for FY 2024-25, as well as the Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) and transmission tariff for FY 2026-27.

Stakeholders questioned the projected increase in transmission tariffs, high transmission losses compared with neighboring states, and the need for greater transparency regarding grid connectivity, safety audits, renewable energy evacuation, and the impact of RRVPN’s demerger into RVPN and Rajasthan Transmission Infrastructure.

Commission’s Analysis

For the FY 2024-25 true-up, the Commission approved transmission network additions totaling 613.2 circuit km, bringing the closing transmission line network to 43,299.27 circuit km.

It also approved the closing transmission capacity of 101,007 MVA and 4,352 bays. Compared with RVPN’s claimed gross fixed asset addition of ₹18.63 billion (~$194.67 million), the Commission approved a net capitalization of ₹10.99 billion (~$114.84 million) after disallowing items, including prior-period assets before April 1, 2021.

On O&M expenses for FY 2024-25, the Commission compared the original approved amount of ₹9.19 billion (~$96.03 million) with RVPN’s true-up claim of ₹9.78 billion (~$102.19 million). It approved O&M expenses of ₹9.47 billion (~$98.96 million), including ₹225.2 million (~$2.35 million) for emergency restoration systems, as an exception to normative O&M, because such systems must minimize outage time and ensure the safety and stability of the transmission system.

The Commission allowed ₹4.8 billion (~$50.16 million) toward terminal liabilities for FY 2024-25, compared with the original tariff order approval of ₹8 billion (~$83.59 million).

It approved interest and finance charges of ₹7.89 billion (~$82.49 million), depreciation of ₹9.80 billion (~$102.41 million), interest on working capital of ₹587 million (~$6.13 million), lease charges of ₹206.1 million (~$2.15 million), and unitary charges of ₹607.8 million (~$6.35 million).

On non-tariff income, the Commission approved ₹1.94 billion (~$20.27 million), higher than RVPN’s revised claim of ₹1.25 billion (~$13.06 million), including interest on income tax refund, loss on sale of fixed assets, and interest income from Barmer Thermal Power.

It also approved short-term open access revenue of ₹481.5 million (~$5.03 million). The Commission approved the actual FY 2024-25 transmission loss of 4.25%, down from the originally approved 4.5%.

Financial Year 2026-27

For FY 2026-27, the Commission approved the transmission network proposed by RVPN provisionally, including closing transmission lines totaling 49,061.49 circuit km, transformation capacity of 121,611.50 MVA and 11,188.34 MVAr, and 9,790 bays.

For the FY 2026-27 ARR, the Commission allowed O&M expenses of ₹12.95 billion (~$135.34 million), terminal liabilities of ₹6 billion (~$62.69 million), interest and finance charges of ₹8.35 billion (~$87.25 million), depreciation of ₹11.47 billion (~$119.47 million), interest on working capital of ₹915 million (~$9.56 million), unitary charges of ₹670.1 million (~$7.01 million), lease charges of ₹227.2 million (~$2.37 million), and non-tariff income of ₹1.94 billion (~$20.27 million).

Against RVPN’s claimed FY 2026-27 annual transmission charges of ₹46.06 billion (~$481.31 million), the Commission approved ₹37.79 billion (~$396.92 million), including ₹1.22 billion (~$12.81 million) for the FY 2025-26 impact of assets commissioned before April 1, 2019. The total annual transmission charges for tariff purposes were approved at ₹39.02 billion (~$409.77 million).

The approved monthly transmission charges for DISCOMs were fixed based on the state government’s allocation ratio of 38.11% for the Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam (JVVNL), 27.47% for the Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam (AVVNL), and 34.42% for the Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam (JdVVNL).

JVVNL will bear ₹14.1384 billion (~$147.76 million) annually, AVVNL ₹10.19 billion (~$106.48 million), and JdVVNL ₹12.77 billion (~$133.44 million), for a total DISCOM transmission charge of ₹37.10 billion (~$387.68 million).

The Commission approved a transmission loss of 4.05% for FY 2026-27 and warned that RVPN must adhere to the approved loss trajectory; otherwise, a penalty may be imposed.

The Commission noted that RVPN’s submission appeared contradictory to the original direction because RRVPN said segregation of state and non-state use of intrastate transmission assets was not technically feasible.

For clarity, the Commission directed RVPN to constitute a technical committee comprising representatives of the Energy Department, RVPN, DISCOMs, and SLDC to assess whether any undue burden of transmission charges is being placed on consumers due to alleged non-state use of intra-state transmission assets.

Recently, RERC approved RVPN’s investment plan of ₹63.12 billion (~$652.7 million) for FY 2027, against the transmission licensee’s revised proposal of ₹65 billion (~$672.2 million).

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