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Funding and M&A Roundup: CleanPeak Energy Raises $328 Million


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					</table><p>The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (<a href="https://hperc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HPERC</a>) has finalized its Resource Adequacy Framework Regulations, 2025. These regulations aim to ensure that the state’s generating companies, distribution licensees, distribution companies (DISCOMs), and load dispatch centers contract sufficient electricity generation capacity to meet peak demand reliably, cost-effectively, and sustainably.</p>
<p>The draft regulation was <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/hperc-issues-draft-frameworl-resource-adequacy-electricity-demand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> in February this year.</p>
<p>The regulations provide a legal mandate for demand forecasting, capacity planning, and power procurement.</p>
<p>Under the finalized framework, DISCOMs must demonstrate a 100% capacity tie-up in the first compliance year and a 90% tie-up in the second. The Commission retained its earlier position that short-term power purchases, including those from the day-ahead market and real-time market, will not be counted toward meeting resource adequacy requirements (RAR).</p>
<p>It also reiterated that over 85% of the DISCOMs’ capacity must be sourced through long-term power purchase agreements, with only limited procurement allowed from short-term contracts.</p>
<p><strong>Demand Forecasting</strong></p>
<p>One of the key changes in the final order is the approval of periodic validation and refinement of demand forecasting models. A provision was added to the regulations to permit DISCOMs to refine and improve their forecasting techniques using real-time data and emerging consumption trends.</p>
<p>This flexibility enables the use of hybrid forecasting methodologies, including artificial intelligence such as machine learning, autoregressive integrated moving average models, trend analysis, and econometric models.</p>
<p><strong>Capacity Credit Method Retained</strong></p>
<p>Despite stakeholder requests to alter the capacity credit factor for renewable energy, HPERC retained the methodology based on the top 250 peak demand hours using the ‘net load base’ approach. Suggestions to revise the hours or use actual generation instead of availability were rejected.</p>
<p><strong>OTC Platforms Rejected</strong></p>
<p>The Commission firmly rejected proposals to recognize over-the-counter (OTC) platforms for electricity procurement or coordination. HPERC stated that OTC platforms are not recognized under the Ministry of Power’s bidding guidelines, cannot facilitate price discovery, and do not ensure the formation of legally binding contracts. Only the discovery of efficient electricity prices and the use of power utilities&#8217; short-term procurement platforms will be permitted for procurement under these regulations.</p>
<p>The request to allow electricity banking through OTC platforms was similarly denied, with the Commission mandating that such transactions must be conducted through open bidding. The Commission also declined to mandate competitive bidding for emergency procurement, allowing DISCOMs flexibility during unforeseen demand surges or outages.</p>
<p><strong>Compliance Definitions Unchanged</strong></p>
<p>Regulation 17, which deals with compliance and evaluation, was retained without modification despite suggestions to clarify definitions for surplus tie-ups, demand projection errors, and shortfalls. The Commission held that existing provisions under the resource adequacy plan already account for these scenarios.</p>
<p><strong>Digital Platforms and Demand Response</strong></p>
<p>While stakeholders pushed for a unified digital platform and the inclusion of demand response mechanisms in RAR calculations, the Commission noted that these are already factored into operational procedures. It declined to include them within the regulations, considering them procedural rather than regulatory matters.</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>


Himachal Electricity Regulator Finalizes Resource Adequacy Framework Regulations


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					</table><p>The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has released draft guidelines for the approval and testing of solar inverters under the Solar Systems, Devices, and Components Goods Order, 2025.</p>
<p>MNRE had <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/mnre-sets-efficiency-standards-for-solar-modules-inverters-and-batteries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> the order in January this year, aiming to enhance the quality and reliability of inverters and other components and increase the adoption of high-performance solar technologies.</p>
<p>It has invited industry stakeholders to share their comments.</p>
<p>Under the guidelines, manufacturers must submit a declaration specifying their products’ series at the time of submitting samples to the test laboratory.</p>
<p>The laboratory will charge testing fees only for the highest-rated inverter model under the IS 16221 (Part II): 2015 and IS 16169: 2019 requirements. A single test report will then be issued for all lower-wattage models in that series, which are covered under the same model family.</p>
<p><strong>Series Guidelines</strong></p>
<p>The firmware can have different limit settings per the series’ model rating. Products with different hardware architectures and firmware functionalities will be tested separately.</p>
<p>All models within a family will have the same rated input/output voltage, frequency, and number of phases at the output.</p>
<p>They will also feature the same printed circuit board (PCB) design and layout, power stage topology, and insulation. Additionally, they must have the same control algorithm and firmware, cabinet design, and class of construction.</p>
<p>If the cabinet design architecture changes between various models within the family, then all the different cabinet designs must be tested or verified for ingress protection.</p>
<p>The maximum-rated inverter within the family will be considered the representative test sample for all the models for safety tests. Manufacturers must provide the product datasheet, International Electrotechnical Commission certification, PCB wiring diagrams, and other relevant documentation.</p>
<p>Inverters must have clear and indelible markings and warning labels that display the manufacturer&#8217;s name and trademark, model and serial number, code, input and output voltage, and manufacturing location.</p>
<p><strong>Retesting Guidelines </strong></p>
<p>The inverters will be tested under two sequences.</p>
<p>Sequence 1 includes testing for load transfer, electrical rating, thermal endurance, protection against electrical shock, backfeed voltage protection, single fault conditions, and protection against sonic pressure, fire, and electric shock and energy hazards. It also includes additional testing for grid-interactive inverters.</p>
<p>Sequence 2 includes testing environmental requirements and conditions, physical requirements, mechanical resistance to deflamation, effects of impact or drop, and protection against liquid, chemical, mechanical, and fire hazards.</p>
<p>Both sequences will have a voltage test.</p>
<p>Manufacturers must submit a new sample if the previous one fails Sequence 1 of testing. Only the tests in Sequence 1 will be repeated after the components and construction are verified. Similar procedures will be followed if the test fails in Sequence 2.</p>
<p>Test labs will charge an appropriate retesting fee for all repeat tests.</p>
<p>Pass criteria for solar inverters must adhere to IS 16169 and IS 16221 Part ll wherever applicable.</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>


MNRE Releases Draft Testing and Approval Guidelines for Solar Inverters


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					</table><p>The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has released draft amendments to the procedure for including wind turbine models in the Revised List of Models and Manufacturers (RLMM).</p>
<p>The Ministry has requested all stakeholders to provide comments or suggestions within three weeks.</p>
<p>Manufacturers must disclose the turbine&#8217;s blade, tower, gearbox, and generator source. They must also share their tower type, rate power, technical collaboration details, type certification, and IS/ISO certification.</p>
<p>They must also provide a certificate for their wind turbine model type, disclosing the blade, tower, gearbox, and details on the generator manufacturing facilities in India. These components must be sourced exclusively from such facilities.</p>
<p>Imports of components for 50 wind turbines or those with 200 MW capacity, whichever is less, by any new wind turbine manufacturer will be exempted from restrictions.</p>
<p>The following steps must be ensured to strengthen the cybersecurity ecosystem:</p>
<ul>
<li>Data centers and servers must be in India, and all information regarding wind turbines must be stored and maintained within the country</li>
<li>Transferring real-time operational data outside India must be prohibited, and operational control of the wind turbines must be conducted exclusively from an Indian facility.</li>
<li>A research and development center must be established in India within six months of this memorandum’s issuance</li>
</ul>
<p>All other conditions/procedures for including wind turbines in RLMM remain unchanged.</p>
<p>Recently, MNRE <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/mnre-revises-draft-guidelines-for-installation-of-prototype-wind-turbines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> revised draft guidelines setting the validity of the three-year prototype certificate for wind turbines. The draft guidelines include a framework for installing prototype wind turbine models. They state that regular maintenance and servicing must be carried out for the prototype wind turbines installed.</p>
<p>Last year, MNRE <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/guidelines-wind-turbine-placement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amended</a> the micro-siting onshore wind power criteria to focus on optimized output rather than the minimum distance between turbines.</p>
<p>India <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/indias-wind-energy-installations-rise-72-yoy-in-q3-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> 706.5 MW of wind energy capacity in the third quarter (Q3) of 2024, a 72% increase year-over-year from 411.5 MW in Q3 2023, according to Mercom India Research.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s real-time <a href="https://www.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>


MNRE Releases Draft RLMM Amendments for Wind Turbine Inclusion


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					</table><p>The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Commission (<a href="https://hperc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HPERC</a>) has released the draft framework for resource adequacy to enable electricity capacity additions to meet the projected demand through a judicious mix of energy contracts at the least cost.</p>
<p>The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (Framework for Resource Adequacy) Regulations, 2025 apply to the generating companies, distribution licensees, the state load dispatch center, the state transmission utilities, and other grid-connected entities and stakeholders in the state.</p>
<p>The Commission aims to plan generation and transmission through these regulations to meet the projected demand reliably.</p>
<p><strong>Demand Assessment and Forecasting </strong></p>
<p>For long- and medium-term demand forecasts<strong>,</strong> the distribution licensees must prepare a demand assessment and forecast covering hourly or sub-hourly.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee will also be responsible for considering the category-wise consumption and assessed consumption data of agricultural and domestic consumers.</p>
<p>The summation of the energy forecast (in MWh) for multiple consumer categories after adjusting captive, prosumer, and open access load forecast will be the energy forecast for the distribution licensee at the consumer level.</p>
<p>The peak demand will be determined by considering the average load factor, load diversity factor, seasonal variation factors for the last three years, and the energy forecasts.</p>
<p>For short-term demand forecasts, the distribution licensee must develop a methodology for hourly and sub-hourly demand forecasts and maintain a historical database.</p>
<p>A load research analysis will be conducted to ascertain the hourly load profile. This study will also assess the consumer categories’ contribution to peak demand. The influence of demand response, load shift measures, and time of use will be factored into the analysis.</p>
<p>For the aggregation of demand forecast, the distribution licensee will prepare hourly or sub-hourly short, medium, and long-term demand forecasts on a rolling basis and submit them to the state load dispatch centre (SLDC) by April 30 each year.</p>
<p><strong>General Resource Planning</strong></p>
<p>The distribution licensee must plan and assess the required generation resources considering their existing and upcoming availability.</p>
<p>It will also consider the allocation of free power of government where a clear commitment for a given period exists. Additionally, the licensee will consider the capacity credit and incremental capacity requirements to meet forecasted demands, including the planning reserve margin.</p>
<p>They will also map all its existing, upcoming, and retiring resources to develop the existing resource map in MW for the long and medium-term power procurement plan.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee will also compute capacity credit for their contracted generation resources by applying the net load-based approach.</p>
<p>For inter or intra-state renewable energy contracted generation, the capacity credit factor’s contribution to the renewable energy or generation resource, where such resource is connected to the grid as contracted by the distribution licensee, will be considered.</p>
<p>The capacity credit factors for hydro generation resources will be computed based on water availability for run-of-the-river and dam-based/storage-based hydropower projects.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee will also determine the planning reserve margins (PRMs) for resource adequacy requirements and generation capacity planning.</p>
<p>PRM is a percentage of the capacity over and above the state&#8217;s coincident share in the national peak demand that must be considered for generation resource planning. The state-level resource adequacy planning by the distribution licensee/SLDC will factor in PRM while developing the state-level integrated resource plan.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee will determine the capacity requirement to meet demand and PRM. The licensee will consider the available capacity adjusted for capacity crediting for existing and planned contracted generation resources.</p>
<p>Long-term national resource adequacy plan (LT-NRAP) and short-term national resource adequacy plan (ST-NRAP) reports will guide the distribution licensee in undertaking the resource adequacy exercises.</p>
<p>The Central Electricity Authority will publish the LT-NRAP, and the National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC) will publish the ST-NRAP.</p>
<p><strong>Renewable Energy Integration </strong></p>
<p>The distribution licensee must ensure an optimal procurement generation resource mix in its power procurement strategy. The licensee must also facilitate smooth renewable energy integration in its power procurement resource options portfolio while meeting reliability standards and renewable purchase obligations.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee will employ optimization techniques and ‘least-cost’ modeling to identify the optimal generation procurement resource mix to avoid stranded capacity.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee will contract additional resources source-wise based on the long-term demand and resource adequacy plan to meet its peak demand.</p>
<p>The power procurement from wind, solar, wind-solar hybrid, and round-the-clock generations will be carried out per the tariff-based competitive bidding process guidelines notified by the Ministry of Power.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee will also identify the long, medium, and short-term generation resource mix and procurement strategy before seeking the Commission’s approval.</p>
<p>Through the annual rolling plan, the distribution licensee will also ensure incremental capacity addition through the long, medium, or short-term upon factoring in the distribution licensees’ existing and planned procurement initiatives.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee must submit information about the contracted capacity to SLDC and the state transmission unit (STU) for compliance verification.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee, the STU, and the SLDC must get the Commission’s approval for the procurement and annual rolling plans.</p>
<p>The licensee can enter an additional power procurement agreement during an unanticipated electricity demand increase, a shortfall or failure in electricity supply, or when power sourcing from existing tied-up sources becomes costlier than other available alternative sources.</p>
<p>The distribution licensee may enter a short-term arrangement or agreement for power procurement when faced with emergency conditions threatening grid stability.</p>
<p>The licensee will maintain and share all demand assessment and forecasting data. They will also maintain at least the past ten years of statistics in their database about consumption profiles for each class of consumers. These classes include domestic, commercial, industry, and public lighting.</p>
<p>In December last year, HPERC <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/himachal-regulator-allows-solar-power-from-seci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allowed</a> Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board to procure 550 MW of inter-state transmission system-connected solar power from the Solar Energy Corporation of India for 25 years.</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>


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