BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has approved the proposal of Tata Power for issue of ‘green certificates’ to consumers willing to buy their entire requirement of power from renewable sources.
The consumers will have to pay an additional 50 paise per unit over and above the normal rate of energy charges. The scheme will be in force for one year. “Consumers of any category can get a green consumer certification by discoms, if 100 per cent of their power requirement is met from renewable sources. The consumer has to apply before the distribution company concerned in advance for use of green power,” said the OERC tariff order issued on Thursday. However, the facility will not be available to the consumers having captive generating plants (CGPs), it added.
Submitting the proposal to OERC on behalf of four distribution companies, the Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Limited (TPCODL) has requested the commission to approve an additional cost of 84 paise per unit over the approved retail supply tariff.
Computing the green tariff at 84 paise per unit, TPCODL said it has not taken the hydro power cost into consideration as the same is not contributing towards the carbon emissions. However, large hydro power stations do not qualify as renewable power.
In case a domestic consumer opts for purchase of renewable energy from the discom, the tariff applicable per unit will be Rs 3.50 for the first 50 units, Rs 5.30 for next 150 units, Rs 6.30 for next 200 units and Rs 6.70 above 400 units of consumption as against the existing tariff of Rs 3, Rs 4.80, Rs 5.80 and Rs 6.20 per unit respectively.