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Draft open access norms can be a tailwind for new renewable projects

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The Draft Electricity (promoting renewable energy through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2021, announced by the Ministry of Power, if implemented as it is, could improve the certainty of cash flows for new renewable energy projects coming up through this route, ratings agency Crisil has said in a report.

In India, power distribution happens through three modes – state distribution companies, captive sources and open access. Under the open access route, which had a total installed capacity of 11 GW as on March 31, 2021, renewable power producers sell electricity directly to commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers. These consumers pay open access charges to state distribution companies (discoms). Such open access projects are hobbled by state-level policy changes that make returns uncertain.

The draft rules aim to provide clarity on such open access charges – including, inter alia, cross-subsidy surcharge (to compensate discoms for loss of high paying C&I consumers), additional surcharge (to recover the fixed power purchase cost for stranded assets), and banking charges (for consuming energy on a later date) – and will help streamline the overall approval process to improve predictability of cash flows for renewable power producers, the report released last week said.

The ministry has sought feedback on the rules from stakeholders, including state regulatory bodies and discoms.

State regulators haven’t been fully backing open access projects fearing their discoms would lose high-tariff paying C&I customers. Consequently, they raise levy of cross-subsidy and additional surcharges, or change banking provisions by removing/lowering the banking period. Since renewable projects have a lifespan of 25 years, uncertainty around open access charges and tightened banking norms make project returns more vulnerable, thereby influencing the viability of these projects.

For instance, some of the key states having a majority share of open access capacities have levied cross-subsidy and additional surcharges of Rs 1.5-2.0 per unit – on average – in the past three fiscals. On the other hand, some states have either removed or lowered the banking period, which affords flexibility to developers (to bank their unsold power with discoms if the offtake of a C&I consumer is affected for a few days).

Ankit Hakhu, Director, CRISIL Ratings, said: “Every 10 paise increase in cross-subsidy and additional surcharges results in a 150 basis points (bps) reduction in returns for open access project developers. Reducing the banking period with state discoms increases the risk to the revenue of developers if the offtake by C&I consumers is affected for a few days.”

Open access projects also face hurdles related to timely approvals and states reneging on policy support. For instance, developers faced approval delays in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, while Karnataka, Haryana and Maharashtra have tried to change their policy support features.

The draft rules propose to address these issues. The document states that cross-subsidy surcharge should not be increased by more than 50 per cent for a 12-year period from the date of project commissioning. Also, any additional surcharge cannot be levied on these projects. This is to ensure predictability on open access charges and thus the cash flows of developers.

The draft rules also proposes to limit how much power can be banked with state discoms – up to 10 per cent of the annual consumption of the consumer. This will allow the C&I consumer to draw banked power from discoms later, thereby providing some stability to the cash flows of developers.

Further, a central nodal agency is to be set up to streamline the approval process. All open access applications have to be submitted on the agency’s portal and subsequently routed to the state nodal agency for approval. If approval is not granted within 15 days, the application will be deemed approved subject to the fulfilment of the technical requirement to ensure timely execution of these projects and minimise any risk of cost escalations.

On an average, cross-subsidy and additional surcharges form 65-70 per cent of total open access charges.

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LG Electronics India gets notice to pay up Rs 153.58 crore as customs duty

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New Delhi, Sep 25: LG Electronics India Ltd has received a show cause notice from the Customs authorities for the recovery of Rs 153.58 crore as customs duty for allegedly not including royalty payments in the assessable value of certain imported goods, the company has stated in a stock exchange filing.

The show cause notice has been issued following an investigation carried out by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), alleging non-inclusion of royalty payments in the assessable value of certain imported goods.

The notice, dated September 22, was issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Customs, Nhava Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai, and was received by the company on September 24.

Meanwhile, LG Electronics, along with arch rival and compatriot Samsung, are also facing an investigation for alleged wrong ⁠claims of concessional 5 per cent customs duty on imported OLED glass screens. The DRI authorities have expressed the view that the concessional rate is meant for the older LCD and LEDs used in products sold in the mass market. For OLED parts, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence is of the opinion that both Samsung and LG should have paid a 15 per cent customs duty, according to a Reuters report.

LG Electronics is reported to have sent responses to written questions by the authorities on its OLED imports and has voluntarily deposited the money to pay for the difference in customs duty as estimated by officials.

Meanwhile, LG Electronics India reported a 27.2 per cent year-on-year surge in net profit to Rs 653 crore for the first quarter of financial year 2026-27compared with the corresponding figure of Rs 513 crore in the same quarter of 2025-26, driven by strong summer demand and premium product sales.

The company’s revenue rose 15.5 per cent during the April-June quarter to Rs 7,233 crore compared with the corresponding figure of Rs 6,262 crore in the same quarter of the previous financial year.

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Sensex, Nifty open with marginal gains amid mixed global cues

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Mumbai, Sep 25: The Indian equity markets opened with marginal gains early on Friday, amid rising US Treasury yields and continued geopolitical uncertainty weighing on overall sentiment.

As of 9.24 am, Sensex was up 96 points, or 0.13 per cent, to reach 73,676 and Nifty was up 20 points, or 0.09 per cent to reach 23,084.

Main broad-cap indices performed in line with the benchmark indices, as the Nifty Midcap 100 inched up 0.03 per cent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 added 0.06 per cent.

Sectoral indices on NSE traded mixed with IT, FMCG, consumer durables and healthcare posting losses. Nifty IT was the top loser, down 1.37 per cent. Nifty realty was the top gainer, up 0.59 per cent.

The US 10-year Treasury yield has moved above the 5.20 per cent mark and remains close to multi-year highs, increasing pressure on global financial conditions and reducing the relative attractiveness of emerging market equities. The rise in global yields, combined with a stronger dollar, has also added pressure on the Indian rupee, analysts said.

On the geopolitical front, uncertainty remains elevated as diplomatic progress between the US and Iran remains unclear. Renewed tensions and continued risks around energy supply routes are keeping global investors cautious, with any further escalation capable of pushing crude prices higher again.

In the previous session, Nifty closed at 23,063, down 1.64 per cent. Immediate support is placed at 22,800–23,000, while resistance is seen at 23,250–23,300.

Bank Nifty closed at 55,438, down 1.96 per cent. Immediate support is placed at 55,000–55,200, while resistance is seen at 55,800–56,000.

In Asian markets, China’s Shanghai index shed 1.04 per cent, and Shenzhen lost 2.34 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei added 1.23 per cent, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index declined 1.77 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi added 0.9 per cent.

US markets ended largely in red overnight, even as Nasdaq added 0.01 per cent. The S&P 500 lost 0.02 per cent, and the Dow Jones shed 0.31 per cent.

On September 24, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) net sold equities worth Rs 5,027 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought equities worth Rs 4,301 crore.

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Adani Group Chairman in Kolkata to meet CM Adhikari today

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Kolkata, Sep 24: Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in Kolkata on Thursday.

Gautam Adani arrived in the city on Wednesday night and on Thursday morning visited the iconic Goddess Kali Temple at Kalighat in South Kolkata and offered prayers.

Later in the day, he will be at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Adani Arogya Mandir, a proposed 2,000-bed hospital in New Town. The Chief Minister is scheduled to join the ceremony.

The proposed hospital is seen as a part of the state government’s efforts to attract investment in the healthcare sector and also the beginning of a broader investment push by the Adani Group in West Bengal.

The Adani Group Chairman is likely to have a meeting with CM Adhikari and senior cabinet members, focusing on the Group’s future investments in the state.

After the change of regime in West Bengal, the BJP-led state government is pushing for investments in the state.

CM Adhikari has promised to create more jobs and set up industries. Famous industrialists are coming forward to make investments in the state. The state government expects the Adani Group to invest in multiple sectors in the state.

State secretariat insiders said that the Adani Group has plans to invest in multiple sectors in the state. The Group has already been a part of the restoration of the Writers’ Buildings, the old state secretariat at B.B.D. Bag in Central Kolkata.

Besides that, the Adani Group will be associated with the forthcoming Durga Puja festival. The Group will select the eight best community Durga Pujas and will donate Rs 25 lakh to each.

A special visit programme has also been organised for eminent personalities from home and abroad to showcase the art and tradition of Durga Puja to the world. This special Puja preview tour will be held for three days on October 10, 11 and 12.

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