Coimbatore: The Madras High Court has ordered the cancellation of network charges for rooftop solar power for the industry. In this regard, a statement has been issued by South India Spinning Mills Association (SISPA) Secretary Jagadish Chandran:
The Tamil Nadu Electricity Distribution Company is charging Rs. 1.04 per unit as network charge from high-voltage consumers generating rooftop solar power and Rs. 1.59 from low-voltage consumers.
Objecting to this, a case was filed in the Madras High Court on behalf of SISPA in August 2022. The court has given an interim order that network charges should not be collected from SISPA members until further orders.
Collection continues
However, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Generating and Distribution Corporation is charging network charges from solar power generators, disregarding the court order.
From 2008 to 2013, there was a severe power shortage in Tamil Nadu. At that time, the Electricity Board advised the respective plants to install diesel generators and generate power. At that time, electricity was supplied directly to the factories without the help of the power grid. Similarly, solar power is supplied directly to the factories without significant losses or the power grid. We have invested several crores of rupees in rooftop solar and are using it only for our own consumption.
As per the advice of the Tamil Nadu government, solar power was installed with an investment of several crores of rupees. SISPA argued that charging network charges for this was unfair.
The verdict came
On December 22 last year, the Madras High Court accepted our request and allowed the writ petitions. A copy of the judgment has been published on the court website.With this judgment, which has canceled the fee, all businesses operating through rooftop solar in Tamil Nadu can function properly.There is no doubt that this judgment will go hand in hand with the Tamil Nadu government’s policy of promoting green electricity.Therefore, following this judgment, the Chief Minister should order the Tamil Nadu Electricity Generating and Distribution Corporation not to charge network charges for rooftop solar electricity. Thus, the statement said.
‘Greenhouse gas emissions will decrease’Pradeep, President of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Consumers Association (TECA), said: This network charge is an obstacle in the adoption of green energy generation by the medium and private sectors. This fee is intended to reduce investments. It will reduce the participation of private and domestic companies in the sustainable energy generation effort. By canceling the fee, more homes, factories and service sectors will be encouraged to use solar energy. It will improve energy independence. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On behalf of DECA, the Electricity Board and the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation should immediately stop collecting network charges. The charges already collected should be refunded. Thus, he said.
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