West Bengal Regulator Allows DISCOM to Buy 100 MW RTC Power at 22.90/kWh ‘The Commission also approved the trading margin of 20.07/kWh ‘The West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WUBERC) has allowed the India Power Corporation (IPCL) — one ofthe power listibution companies in the state~to buy 100 MW of round-the-clock (RTC) renewable power a a tarifT of €2.90 (~$0.035)kWh along with the trading margin of 20.07 (-S0,0009)kWh from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECD, IPCL had filed a petition forthe approval of « power sale agreement (PSA) with SECI with a 25-year tenure and atthe rate determined throvgh the competitive bidding process. Background SEC had invited bids to procure 400 MW of RIC poster ona long-term basis on October 18,2019. ‘Rees Power had won the auction forthe total tendered capacity at 2.90 (-$0.037)kWh tari Later IPCL signed a PSA with SECT to purchase 100 MW of RTC power for 25 years from the scheduled commissioning ofthe projet. ‘The tariff was set as £2.90 (~$0.035)/kWh forthe fist year with a yearly escalation of 3% for 15 years and no escalation forthe rest ofthe project lifetime. Additionally, a trading margin of 20.07 (~S0,0009ykWh was payable to SECI for the entre term of the agreement, IPCL, ints submission, stated thatthe landed cost of power, including transmission charges and losses, came to £3.31 (~$0.039VKWh, which ‘was much lower than the existing long-term power purchase agreement with the Damodar Valley Corporation and the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company for the procurement of RTC power. IPCL aulded that the RIC power would oflset the short-term power purchase agreements and help ther meet the solar and non-solar renewable purchase obligation (RPO), ‘Commission's analysis‘The Commission ordered IPCL on May 31, 2022, to submit a justification for purchasing 100 MW of RTC power through a load generation balance analysis, Subsequently, IPCL submitted its average demand from 2018-19 to 2021-22 and projected it to be 256 MW during 2024-25. “The Commission observed that IPCL had proposed to purchase 701.3 MU of renewable power under the PSA. The proposed RTC renewable ‘power would help IPCL to improve its renewable energy portfolio, ‘The Commission further noted thatthe price of RTC power was lower than that of renewable power of 85.29 (~S0.064)/kWh discovered in the Indian Energy Exchange during FY 2021-22. \WBERC said that no interstate charges would be levied on the transmission of electricity generated from solar and wind sources through ISTS fr the sale of power by the projects commissioned within June 30, 2025, for 25 years from the date of the commissioning of the projec. WBERC noted thatthe price of 82.90 (~$0.035)/kWh discovered following the competitive bidding guidelines was economical and beneficial to the end consumers. Italso approved the trading margin of €0,07 (~0.0009) kWh. Earlier, WBERC had approved the PSA executed between IPCL and SECI to purchase 100 MW solar-wind hybrid power ata tariff of 22.69 (-$0.036)kWh witha trading margin of £0.07 (~$0.0009)kWh. scribe to Mercom's real-time Rerulatory Updates to ensure you don't miss any critical updates from the renewable industry.