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					</table>The Grid Controller of India (<a href="https://grid-india.in/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GRID-India</a>) has streamlined the procedure for providing temporary general network access (T-GNA) to the interstate transmission system.
The procedure seeks to streamline T-GNA access, enable National Open Access Registry (NOAR)-based approvals, manage transmission capacity and payments, support scheduling, and maintain grid security.
NOAR will serve as a common platform for T-GNA registration, standing clearance, application processing, power exchange validation, payments, real-time dashboards, audit trails, reporting, and other functions directed by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).
Roles and Responsibilities
The National Load Despatch Center (NLDC) will act as the nodal agency for T-GNA collective transactions and operate NOAR. It will process power exchange transactions, registrations, and standing clearances for cross-border trading entities, collect payments, update interstate transmission system (ISTS) charges, and oversee cybersecurity and disaster recovery.
Regional load despatch centers (RLDCs) will process regional registrations, standing clearances, and bilateral T-GNA applications. They will manage bilateral charges, include T-GNA transactions in daily schedules, update holidays, implement curtailment during generator outages or transmission constraints, and verify renewable energy charged and discharged by ISTS-connected storage systems.
Host state load despatch centers (SLDCs) will process registrations and standing clearances for intrastate entities, include interstate T-GNA transactions in state schedules, update state holidays, share entity-wise schedule details with NLDC, and verify renewable energy use by intrastate transmission system-connected storage systems.
Registration
Entities such as distribution companies (DISCOMs), power generators, open access consumers, electricity traders, power exchanges, and other eligible entities seeking T-GNA through bilateral or collective transactions must register with NOAR.
Registration applications will be processed by the host RLDC for regional entities, the host SLDC and RLDC for intrastate entities, and the NLDC for interstate traders, cross-border trading licensees, and power exchanges.
The NLDC, RLDCs, or SLDCs will scrutinize applications and seek corrections within two working days if they find discrepancies. Failure to respond to correction requests will result in rejection.
Interstate and trader registrations must be processed within seven working days. Intrastate applications must be recommended by SLDC within five working days and processed by RLDC within two working days. Applicants must update any changes to registration details. Incorrect information may result in cancellation or denial of registration.
Standing Clearance Rules
T-GNA applicants must apply through NOAR to the NLDC, RLDCs, or SLDCs for standing clearance, specifying the quantum, period, and interconnection point.
RLDCs will grant clearance to regional and intrastate entities intending to use T-GNA, while host SLDCs will process applications from intrastate entities. New entities must receive approval or refusal within seven working days, while existing entities must receive it within three working days.
Deemed T-GNA can be granted to power generating projects whose GNA is yet to become effective, subject to scheduling eligibility and available transmission margins. Hybrid power generators can receive source-wise clearance. Battery energy storage systems and pumped storage projects can apply under the renewable energy category after submitting the required declaration.
DISCOMs seeking clearance for portfolio sales must disclose the power source and generator list. Defective applications must be flagged within two working days. If an SLDC does not respond within the prescribed period, standing clearance will be deemed granted for up to seven days.
Clearance can be issued for up to 11 months and must be renewed at least one week before expiry. It can be revised or withdrawn in the event of transmission constraints, evacuation constraints, or grid security concerns.
T-GNA applicants exceeding their approved standing clearance in any time block will be barred by NLDC from bilateral and collective transactions for seven days.
T-GNA Application Process
Registered applicants must submit T-GNA applications for bilateral interstate transmission transactions only through NOAR. Power exchanges must also use NOAR to apply for T-GNA for collective transactions.
NOAR and power exchanges will exchange data on traded volumes, standing clearance, margin availability, cleared volumes, discovered prices, and generators’ power purchases.
Advance bilateral T-GNA applications can be submitted on the day of application for transactions starting on or after the third day. Applicants can seek T-GNA for a one-time block or for up to 11 months.
The nodal RLDC will approve, reject, or partially approve applications after assessing inter-regional, intraregional, and bid-area transfer capability. If full approval is unavailable due to transmission constraints, partial approval will be granted only if the applicant has provided online consent through NOAR.
Applications for Temporary General Network Access for Renewable Energy (T-GNARE) will follow the same process as T-GNA. Entities granted T-GNARE cannot simultaneously obtain GNA or T-GNA. Full T-GNARE can be converted to T-GNA for delivery starting on the fourth day.
T-GNA Revision Rules
T-GNA granted under exigency applications or advance applications for up to 30 days cannot be revised. For advance T-GNA exceeding 30 days, grantees can seek downward revision or cancellation for the remaining period with 30 days’ prior notice.
Applicable charges must be paid for the notice period. Requests will not be processed unless these charges are deposited. Transmission margins freed through revision or cancellation will be made available for fresh T-GNA grants.
Commercial Conditions
All T-GNA bilateral and collective transaction payments must be made electronically through NOAR’s payment gateway.
Each bilateral and collective transaction will attract a non-refundable application fee of ₹5,000 (~$52.83). For bilateral transactions, applicants must pay operating charges of ₹1,000 (~$10.57) per day for each buyer and seller. For collective transactions, successful buyers and sellers must pay ₹1 (~$0.011)/MWh, capped at ₹200 (~$2.11) per day.
Transmission charges will apply under CERC regulations and the Sharing Regulations, 2020. Advance T-GNA charges must be deposited within the prescribed timelines, while exigency applications require payment at the time of application. Delayed payment can result in non-scheduling of approved capacity and release of margins to other applicants.
For collective integrated day-ahead and real-time market transactions, NOAR will notify charges by 5 PM on the day after delivery, and power exchanges must pay NLDC by midnight. Delays will attract simple interest of 0.04% per day. Transmission charge waivers for eligible renewable energy and storage-based transactions will follow applicable sharing regulations.
Default and Charge Disbursement
Defaulting T-GNA applicants or grantees using NOAR for interstate transmission access can be barred from scheduling transactions or submitting new applications through NOAR until dues or compliance gaps are cleared.
Defaults will include non-payment of application fees, transmission and operating charges, interest, or other CERC-required fees. Applicants can also be blocked for failing to submit tax deduction details, quarterly TDS certificates, or Form 26AS mapping within the prescribed timelines.
Power supply to defaulting entities will be regulated under the Electricity (Late Payment Surcharge and Related Matters) Rules, 2022.
For disbursement, the nodal RLDC will reconcile bilateral T-GNA charges, while the NLDC will reconcile collective T-GNA charges. Interstate transmission charges will be transferred to CTUIL within 10 working days. Refunds or recoveries linked to curtailment, transmission constraints, or transaction revisions will be adjusted by the 15th day of the following month.
NOAR will also provide management information system reports for stakeholders and authorities. Applicants, power exchanges, buyers, and sellers must indemnify SLDCs, RLDCs, and the NLDC against claims, losses, disputes, and liabilities arising from T-GNA transactions.
In April, CERC <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/cerc-moves-to-formalize-market-coupling-names-grid-india-as-the-operator" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> draft amendments to the Power Market Regulations, 2021, proposing a framework for implementing market coupling across power exchanges.
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GRID-India Issues Procedure for Temporary Grid Access Through NOAR

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has finalized the amended regulations for open access in interstate transmission, which were initially passed in 2008. The new regulations will be in effect from the day of publishing in the official gazette.
The CERC had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/cerc-amends-open-access-interstate-regulation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> the amendments in August 2018. In response to the proposed changes, the CERC received written comments and suggestions from Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Ltd. (GETCO), Indian Energy Exchange Ltd (IEX), Indian Energy Regulatory Service (IERS), Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. (MSEDCL), Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Ltd. (MPMCL), Multitudes Intellect and Open Access Users Association Ltd. (OAUA). The IEX and NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) also made oral submissions at the public hearing held by CERC.
After going through the comments of various stakeholders, the commission stated, “Process followed for granting short-term open access may vary from state to state. Some of the states such as Gujarat, Telangana, have implemented their software for processing the short-term open access applications in accordance with their open access regulations. To avoid any conflict with the procedure followed by different states, it has been envisaged that National Open Access Registry (NOAR) will be designed in such a manner that it can be seamlessly interfaced with the state load dispatch centers (SLDCs)’ software for processing the short-term open access applications pertaining to interstate transmission system.”
The CERC also observed that the duration of three months for the standing clearance is the ceiling and an open access applicant can apply for short-term open access for a period less than three months and the concerned regional load dispatch centers can grant short-term open access for a period less than three months depending upon the availability of transmission capacity.
A maximum period of validity of three months has been prescribed by the CERC as it would reduce the time and effort on the part of both the short-term open access applicant, as well as the dispatch centers.
The commission has removed the ‘underutilization of transmission corridor’ as one of the criteria for revising the standing clearance. Now, the dispatch centers will comprehensively review the situation and do a prudence check while issuing the standing clearance to the applicant.
In <a href="https://mercomindia.com/cerc-procedural-guidelines-ists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">May 2018</a>, the <a href="http://cercind.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CERC</a> had released procedural regulations for granting inter-state transmission system (ISTS) connectivity to renewable energy projects. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/cerc-raft-regulation-deviation-settlement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In July</a> 2018, CERC issued regulations for Draft Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Deviation Settlement Mechanism and related matters) for 2018.

CERC’s Final Amendment to Interstate Open Access Power Regulations

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has amended the regulations for Open Access in Interstate Transmission, which were first passed in 2008. The new regulations will be called the CERC (Open Access in Interstate Transmission) (Fifth Amendment) Regulations, 2018.
These regulations will come into force after a notification from the CERC.
Key Amendments
<ul>
<li>National Open Access Registry (NOAR) will be a centralized electronic platform owned and operated by the National Load Dispatch Center (NLDC).</li>
<li>The short-term open access applications will be processed through NOAR, and information related to approvals, rejections, revisions, curtailment and payment schedules will be made available through the NOAR to the respective market participants through email or SMS.</li>
<li>After stakeholder consultation, the Power System Operation Corporation (<a href="https://posoco.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POSOCO</a>) will issue the detailed procedure with prior approval of CERC to operationalize open access through NOAR.</li>
<li>The short-term open access applications for bilateral transactions will be processed by the nodal, Regional Load Dispatch Center (RLDC). NOAR will carry out collective transactions through power exchanges by NLDC.</li>
<li>Seekers of short-term open access must declare that there is no other contract for sale or purchase of the same power for which standing clearance has been applied for.</li>
<li>Application for advance scheduling for a bilateral transaction must be submitted to the nodal agency through NOAR up to the fourth month.</li>
<li>The power exchange will make an application to the nodal agency through the NOAR for scheduling of the collective transactions discovered on its platform. The nodal agency will approve or advise the power exchange to revise the application for scheduling of collective transactions based on the transmission corridor availability in accordance with the detailed procedures.</li>
<li>All charges payable under these regulations will be paid online through the payment gateway made available in the NOAR.</li>
</ul>
If the default in payment exceeds 90 days from the due date of payment of the charges, the NLDC or RLDC can deny short-term open access to the defaulting entity without approaching the CERC for specific directions.
In <a href="https://mercomindia.com/cerc-procedural-guidelines-ists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">May 2018</a>, <a href="http://cercind.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CERC</a> released procedural regulations for granting inter-state transmission system (ISTS) connectivity to renewable energy projects. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/cerc-raft-regulation-deviation-settlement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recently</a>, CERC issued regulations for Draft Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Deviation Settlement Mechanism and related matters) for 2018.

CERC Amends Regulations for Open Access in Interstate Transmission

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