.jpeg)
.png)
INKEL and two of its renewable-energy subsidiaries have approached the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC), challenging the Kerala State Electricity Board’s (KSEB) decision to restrict renewable-power evacuation through a 33kV feeder to 14.4 MVA.
The restriction could affect INKEL’s solar-wind hybrid project at Vadakarapathy in Palakkad as well as its 23.2 MWp group-captive solar project located at an industrial park in Malappuram.
At the centre of the dispute is the interpretation of provisions under the Kerala Electricity Supply Code. The code provides for a maximum contract demand of 12 MVA at the 33kV voltage level, along with a 20% relaxation in situations where supply at a higher voltage is unavailable.
Applying this relaxation increases the limit to 14.4 MVA, which KSEB has used in determining the permitted evacuation capacity.
INKEL has questioned this interpretation, arguing that the provision relates to electricity supplied to consumers rather than electricity injected into the grid by power-generating projects.
The renewable-energy developer is therefore seeking clarity on whether the contract-demand provisions applicable to consumers can also be used to restrict power evacuation from renewable generating facilities.
The issue has implications for INKEL’s planned renewable projects as well as the broader development of solar, wind and hybrid generation capacity in Kerala.
As renewable-energy installations expand, adequate transmission and evacuation infrastructure is becoming increasingly important for enabling generators to deliver electricity reliably to the grid.
The regulatory proceedings could provide greater clarity on how existing electricity supply-code provisions should be interpreted for renewable generators, particularly projects connected through 33kV infrastructure.
The outcome could also help define the regulatory framework around grid connectivity and power evacuation as Kerala continues to expand its renewable-energy capacity.