The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC) has approved the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Ltd. (HPSEBL) and M/s Sh. Jagdambey Solar Energy Power Project. This approval was granted under Section 86(1)(b) of the Electricity Act, 2003, and relevant regulations of the Commission. The petition was filed and heard on 29th March 2025 and decided on 1st April 2025.

The solar power project in question is a 2.0 MW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) plant located at Village Duhal Bhatwalan, in the Una district of Himachal Pradesh. The project has been set up with the approval of HIMURJA, the state energy development agency, through a letter issued on 30th December 2024. The Scheduled Commercial Operation Date (SCOD) for this project has been fixed as 29th December 2025. The connection agreement for this plant was signed on 22nd March 2025, which states that the interconnection point will be the 11 kV Bharwain feeder from the 33/11 kV Bharwain sub-station.

According to the HPERC order dated 14th March 2024, the leveled tariff for solar PV projects located in rural areas and with capacities between 1 MW and 5 MW is set at ₹3.47 per kWh. Since this project is located in a rural area and has a capacity of 2 MW, this rate will apply. However, this tariff is subject to adjustment based on any capital subsidy received by the project developers.

The project is also liable to pay a tariff-based royalty of ₹0.05 per unit to the Himachal Pradesh Government, as per the amended Swaran Jayanti Energy Policy, 2021. This royalty is applicable for solar power projects with a capacity greater than 1 MW and came into effect on 21st September 2023.

The Commission’s order outlines several conditions for the approval of the PPA. The approved tariff is provisional and will be adjusted if the developer receives any subsidy or financial assistance from the central or state government. The developer must inform HPSEBL within 15 days of receiving any such subsidy. If no subsidy is claimed within two years, it will be assumed to have been availed, and HPSEBL will adjust the tariff accordingly.

The Commission also clarified that the synchronization and commissioning of the project should happen on the same day, and the SCOD is confirmed as 29th December 2025. The tariff of ₹3.47 per kWh will remain valid up to 31st March 2026.

Both parties have been instructed to incorporate these conditions into the final version of the PPA and to submit three signed copies of the agreement to the Commission within 30 days from the date of the order. This order ensures that the project moves forward under the regulations and policies in place, helping Himachal Pradesh continue its transition to clean energy.