In Short : Grid India has proposed amendments to CERC’s draft procedure for Temporary General Network Access (T-GNA) to enable power projects to schedule up to their full capacity by ensuring adequate transmission margins. The proposal includes mandatory RLDC registration for NOAR entities, bi-monthly clearance for deemed T-GNA, equitable treatment for renewable projects, and provisions for hybrid generators, aiming to optimize grid utilization and facilitate efficient power distribution.
In Detail : Grid India has submitted proposals to amend the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (CERC) draft procedure for granting Temporary General Network Access (T-GNA) to the interstate transmission system. The objective is to enable power projects to schedule up to their full T-GNA capacity by ensuring sufficient transmission margins, improving grid utilization, and supporting efficient power distribution across regions.
The proposal recommends that entities registered with the National Open Access Registry (NOAR) for short-term open access approvals must also register with their respective Regional Load Dispatch Centers (RLDCs) for T-GNA approval. This step is designed to streamline coordination between stakeholders and enhance the approval process for temporary network access.
For generating stations where General Network Access (GNA) has not yet become effective, RLDCs will identify projects seeking deemed T-GNA and provide standing clearance on a bi-monthly basis. This ensures that projects can operate within their approved capacity while awaiting full GNA effectiveness, avoiding underutilization of transmission infrastructure.
RLDCs will grant T-GNA clearance based on the available margin in the transmission system. This approach prevents over-scheduling and maintains grid stability, ensuring that the total power scheduled does not exceed system limits while facilitating optimal usage of available transmission capacity.
Renewable energy projects connected to a pooling station via deemed T-GNA will be treated on par with projects that have GNA or where GNA is pending. This equitable treatment encourages the integration of renewable energy into the grid and ensures fairness in transmission capacity allocation for all eligible projects.
Under the bi-monthly clearance system, applications for deemed T-GNA between the 1st and 15th of the month must be submitted within 24 hours of the 25th of the previous month. Permissions will be allocated on a pro-rata basis according to available transmission capacity, ensuring orderly scheduling and transparent allocation.
Applications received after the 25th of the previous month will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. This mechanism maintains transparency and fairness in granting standing clearances, allowing all projects an equal opportunity to access transmission capacity based on timely application submissions.
For hybrid power generators, with or without energy storage systems, standing clearance can be granted up to the installed capacity of individual generators. Project scheduling must remain within the allocated connectivity quantum to align with transmission system capacity and ensure safe, reliable operation of the grid.
Entities granted T-GNA for renewable energy projects (T-GNARE) can convert it into a regular T-GNA by applying to the nodal RLDC. Power delivery can commence after four months from the application date, providing sufficient time for integration, system adjustments, and smooth coordination with the overall transmission network.
