The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and the Ministry of Power have issued a detailed procedure to verify the captive status of power projects and their users across multiple states. This applies to all projects and consumers seeking captive power project (CGP) status and their associated users. 

Verification will be conducted annually and must be completed within two months of submitting the required documents. Applicants must inform the regional load dispatch centre (RLDC), state load dispatch centre (SLDC), and distribution licensees within 15 days of application submission. 

For single captive users, at least 51% of the net electricity generated annually must be consumed. Group captive users, excluding cooperative societies, must also meet the 51% consumption threshold. Cooperative societies must collectively consume the same percentage of generated power. 

Captive users’ consumption must include technical losses in the electrical network and energy storage system (ESS). Manufacturing industry applicants must submit monthly generation and in-house consumption data to the distribution licensee for validation. 

Verification will be based on data from the generating unit’s interface meter, which must have real-time communication capabilities with SLDCs or RLDCs. CGPs within manufacturing units and those connected at a common pooling sub-station must maintain separate meters and apply individually for captive status verification. 

This move aligns with CEA’s broader initiatives, including the recently approved Uniform Protection Protocol aimed at ensuring grid stability and integrating 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030 and 2,100 GW by 2047. 

(Mercom)