The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has refused to extend the waiver on inter-state transmission system (ISTS) charges for four wind and solar projects of Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL), because none of them reached commercial operation by 30 June 2026. In a combined order dated 26 October 2026, the Commission disposed of Petition Nos. 168/MP/2026, 187/MP/2026, 193/MP/2026 and 289/MP/2026, and held that the projects are not eligible for relief under Regulation 13(2)(h) of the 2020 Sharing Regulations.
The projects will not be left without any waiver. The Commission said TPREL will be eligible for a graded waiver under Regulation 13(2)(a) once each generating station achieves its commercial operation date (COD).
The four projects
The petitions covered the following capacities, all with a scheduled commercial operation date (SCOD) of 1 June 2025:
- 288 MW wind project at Mudhol, connected at Koppal-II pooling station in Karnataka (Petition 168/MP/2026)
- 111.8 MW wind project at Kallam in Maharashtra (Petition 187/MP/2026)
- Solar project at Koppal-II pooling station, filed as 189 MW and later revised to 117.5 MW (Petition 193/MP/2026)
- 190 MW solar project at Gadag-II pooling station in Karnataka (Petition 289/MP/2026)
TPREL’s 288 MW wind project is part of a 965.8 MW wind-solar hybrid portfolio for which Tata Steel Limited issued a Letter of Award on 1 June 2023. The order records that 277.2 MW of wind capacity is being set up for supply to Tata Steel as a captive user, using the 288 MW of connectivity.
What the rule says
Regulation 13(2)(h) allows wind, solar, wind-solar hybrid and battery storage projects that were eligible for the ISTS waiver, and whose SCOD fell on or before 30 June 2025, to receive extra time if they are delayed by force majeure, including non-availability of the transmission system. Such extensions cannot exceed six months at a time and cannot be granted more than twice. For projects not awarded through competitive bidding by an implementing agency, the extension is granted by the Commission on the recommendation of a committee it appointed.
The regulation adds a condition: the project must achieve COD on or before the extended date. The Commission reasoned that two six-month extensions from 30 June 2025 mean the latest possible date is 30 June 2026.
The committee’s recommendations
For all four projects, the committee had recommended extensions only up to 31 May 2026, or until the associated common transmission system became available, whichever was earlier. It attributed the delay to non-availability of the common transmission system and, for the Mudhol wind project, to regulatory changes beyond TPREL’s control. The reports are dated 23 January 2026 for the two wind projects, 7 April 2026 for the Koppal-II solar project and 22 April 2026 for the Gadag-II solar project.
For the Kallam wind project, the committee recommended an extension for only 101 MW of the 111.8 MW. It did not recommend any extension for the remaining 10.8 MW.
TPREL’s arguments
TPREL argued that the delay was entirely due to non-operationalisation of General Network Access, caused by the delayed readiness of the common transmission system. It cited CTUIL’s grant of final connectivity on 28 February 2025 with a start date of 31 December 2025, and a Central Electricity Authority progress report that noted right-of-way problems on the Narendra-Pune 765 kV line.
What CTUIL told the Commission
CTUIL informed the Commission of the status of the transmission systems needed to make network access effective:
- ISTS network expansion in the Western and Southern regions to export surplus renewable power: anticipated completion by 30 June 2026
- Transmission scheme for the renewable energy zone in Koppal-II and Gadag-II: anticipated completion by 30 September 2026
- LILO of the Parli-Karjat/Lonikand-II 400 kV double-circuit line at Kallam pooling station: anticipated completion by 31 October 2026
- Connectivity for the 190 MW Gadag-II solar project: expected to become effective on 30 April 2027
Where the projects stand
TPREL’s own submissions put the commissioning timelines beyond the deadline. The 288 MW Mudhol wind project is expected to deliver 118 MW by October 2026 and 170 MW in phases up to December 2026. At Kallam, 61 MW is planned by August 2026 and 50.8 MW in phases up to October 2026. The Koppal-II solar project is planned in phases up to December 2026, and the Gadag-II solar project in January 2027, in line with its network access start date.
Because every expected COD falls after 30 June 2026, the Commission concluded that none of the projects can claim relief under Regulation 13(2)(h).
What it means for India’s clean-energy sector
The order shows that the ISTS charge waiver rules are strict on dates, even where a committee has accepted that transmission delays caused the slippage. A project cannot claim the extended waiver unless it is commissioned by the final cut-off, here 30 June 2026.
For developers, the decision raises the cost of commissioning delays, since they now fall under the graded waiver and pay a share of transmission charges. For planners, it shows how the timing of the common transmission systems in Karnataka, Maharashtra and the Western and Southern regions affects whether renewable projects reach the grid on schedule.
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