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					</table><p>The <a href="https://vidyut.andamannicobar.gov.in/Forms/AboutUs.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Electricity Department of the Andaman &amp; Nicobar Administration</a> has invited bids to develop a 20 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project at Dollygunj in Sri Vijayapuram, Andaman.</p>
<p>The project will be developed under the renewable energy service company model.</p>
<p>The project will comprise two sub-systems, one with a rating of 4 MW/4 MWh (ESS-1) and the other with a rating of 4 MW /16 MWh (ESS-2).</p>
<p>The last date to submit the bids is February 16, 2026. Bids will be opened the following day.</p>
<p>Bidders must submit ₹12 million (~$133,003) as the earnest money deposit.</p>
<p>The successful bidder must submit a performance bank guarantee of ₹30 million (~$332,508).</p>
<p>The scope of work specifies that the successful bidder will be responsible for setting up the BESS and interconnecting it with the grid.</p>
<p>The BESS will be charged using surplus solar power during the day.</p>
<p>The project will be interconnected to the grid through loop in-loop-out connection at the 33 kV grid network of ED-Andaman &amp; Nicobar Island at Dollygunj. The maintenance of the transmission system will be the responsibility of the developer and will be undertaken entirely at its cost.</p>
<p>The developer should guarantee a minimum availability of 95% on an annual basis, and to monitor such availability, the BESS should be equipped with an availability-based tariff-compliant interface meter capable of recording energy in 15-minute time blocks.</p>
<p>Bidders must have a net worth of at least ₹100 million (~$1.108 million) as of the last date of the previous financial year.</p>
<p>Bidders should have a minimum annual turnover of ₹52.008 million (~$576,436) during the previous financial year.</p>
<p>Bidders should have an internal resource generation capability, as measured by profit before depreciation, interest, and taxes, of at least ₹10.402 million (~$115,292) as of the last date of the previous financial year.</p>
<p>Additionally, bidders should have an in-principle sanction letter from the lending institutions committing a line of credit for a minimum amount of ₹13 million (~$144,109) to meet the project&#8217;s working capital requirement.</p>
<p>India added 48.4 MWh of energy storage capacity in the first half (1H) of 2025, a 74% decline from 186 MWh added in the same period last year, according to <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/product/india-energy-storage-landscape-1h-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India’s Energy Storage Landscape 1H 2025 Report</a> by Mercom India Research.</p>


Andaman & Nicobar Island Tenders 20 MWh BESS Project


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					</table><p>The <a href="https://powermin.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Power</a> has proposed amendments to the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2023, to accelerate the residential rooftop solar installations in the country.</p>
<p>The proposed amendments, once implemented, will direct DISCOMs to expedite the application process for the rooftop solar installations, metering setup, and feasibility study duration.</p>
<p>Stakeholders can submit their comments by January 12, 2024.</p>
<p><strong>Release of new connection and modification in existing connection</strong></p>
<p>Upon receiving a complete and accurate application, DISCOMs must establish new connections or modify existing ones within three days in metropolitan areas, seven days in other urban areas, and fifteen days in rural regions.</p>
<p>In cases where extending distribution mains or commissioning new substations is required to provide electricity, DISCOMs must promptly supply electricity upon completing such work or within a timeframe specified by the commission.</p>
<p>DISCOMs must provide individual electricity connections to owners or occupants of premises within a group housing society, residential colony, resident welfare association, or a comparable registered body upon their request. The appropriate commission must establish regulations within six months of this notification.</p>
<p>If registered bodies supply electricity through a single-point connection, they must not impose a tariff exceeding the retail tariff set by the appropriate commission for that consumer category.</p>
<p>In the case of a single-point connection, these registered bodies can charge an additional amount, covering the cost of supplying electricity to individual consumers from the single-point connection, as determined by the appropriate commission within six months of publishing these rules.</p>
<p>DISCOMs must provide a separate connection for the electric vehicle charging system when requested by an individual consumer or registered bodies.</p>
<p><strong>Metering</strong></p>
<p>DISCOMs must conduct meter testing within thirty days of receiving a consumer complaint about meter discrepancies, stoppage, seal damage, burning, or other issues, as the commission specifies.</p>
<p>If consumers report meter reading discrepancies compared to their electricity consumption, DISCOMs must install an additional meter within three days of receiving the complaint. This additional meter is installed to verify consumption for a period specified by the commission, not less than three months.</p>
<p><strong>Consumer as prosumer</strong></p>
<p>DISCOMs must complete the technical feasibility study for rooftop solar projects within a specified time frame not exceeding fifteen days and communicate the study&#8217;s outcome to the applicant. Installing up to 10 kW of rooftop solar systems is exempt from the technical feasibility study.</p>
<p>However, the appropriate commission has the authority to set a higher limit exceeding 10 kW for this exemption.</p>
<p>If technical feasibility studies indicate the need to strengthen distribution infrastructure, including distribution transformers, for rooftop solar installations within the mentioned capacity limits, DISCOMs must develop the infrastructure and the associated cost is included in their revenue requirement. If the outcome of the technical feasibility study is not communicated to the applicant within the prescribed period, presume that the proposal is technically feasible.</p>
<p>After installing a solar system, the consumer must submit the installation certificate to DISCOM. DISCOM must then finalize the connection agreement, install the meter, and ensure the successful commissioning of the solar system within fifteen days from the submission of the installation certificate.</p>
<p>The DISCOM web portal should have the formats for the contract agreement and installation certificate.</p>
<p>In June, the Ministry of Power <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/lower-electricity-tariff-solar-hours/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amended</a> the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, directing state commissions to ensure the tariff for solar hours must be at least 20% lower than the normal tariff for all consumer categories except agricultural consumers.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s real-time <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-renewable-energy-regulatory-updates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Regulatory Updates</a> to ensure you don’t miss any critical updates from the renewable industry.</p>


Ministry to Amend Electricity Rules to Expedite Residential Rooftop Solar Installations

<p>The Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (<a href="https://www.upcl.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UPCL</a>) has floated a tender for 900 single-phase (10-60a) whole current solar meters in the state.</p>
<p>Interested bidders are expected to submit an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹59,400 (~$785). The estimated cost of the tender is ₹1.98 million (~$26,172), and the last date for the submission of bids is May 27, 2020.</p>
<p>To be eligible to participate in the competitive bidding process, applicants must have had an average yearly turnover of ₹5.94 million (~$78,516) in the last three financial years. Bidders must be reputed original manufacturers and must have a valid Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for this class of meters. They must also have an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2000 certification or higher.</p>
<p>Additionally, the bidder must have manufactured and supplied at least 300% of the quantity of single-phase solar meters or for similar meters of higher capacity to government departments, undertakings, or public sector utilities in the last three financial years. They must also have performance certificates for at least 150% of the tendered quantity of meters.</p>
<p>Bidders must also have all necessary testing facilities at their establishments for carrying out routine and acceptance tests as per the prescribed standards.</p>
<p>Previously, Mercom <a href="https://mercomindia.com/andhra-pradesh-tender-solar-net-meters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a> that Andhra Pradesh’s Eastern Power Electric Company issued a tender to procure 600 HT TVR meters of the following specifications. The meters have to be of 0.2s class accuracy MD Integration 30 MIN. IP (Category-B for services) with DLMS (bi-directional solar net meter).</p>
<p>The APEPDCL had also <a href="https://mercomindia.com/andhra-pradesh-seeks-suppliers-for-bidirectional-solar-net-meters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">invited</a> bids for bidirectional solar net meters to be installed in the state. The tender calls for the supply of single-phase whole current electronic bidirectional energy meters and three-phase four-wire direct connected static tri-vector bidirectional energy meters. The tender has been floated for 2,000 single-phase bi-directional energy meters and 2,000 three-phase bi-directional energy meters.</p>
<p>More recently, the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of public sector units under the Ministry of Power, said it successfully <a href="https://mercomindia.com/eesl-installs-one-million-smart-meters-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">installed</a> one million smart meters across India under the Smart Meter National Program (SMNP).</p>


Uttarakhand Floats Tender for Supply of 900 Solar Meters

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