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Amendment Tracker

What was the rule — and what is it now?

Old and new provisions side by side, with effective dates and the project structures each change affects. The platform never recommends on the basis of a superseded or unverified rule without saying so.

Captive qualifying conditions

Effective: 13 March 2026 (on publication)

Needs review

Before

Electricity Rules, 2005 — Rule 3(1)(a)

Captive users hold ≥26% ownership and consume ≥51% of aggregate generation, determined annually; cooperative society members satisfy the tests collectively.

Now

Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2026 — Rule 3(2)(a)–(c)

Rule 3 substituted. ≥26% ownership by captive users and a minimum share of generation consumed during the financial year (text reads 51% — percentage unverified until checked). SPV stations may be tested unit-wise. Cooperative members still satisfy the tests collectively.

Affects:Group Captive Solar

SPVs and corporate groups

Effective: 13 March 2026 (on publication)

Needs review

Before

Electricity Rules, 2005 — Rule 3

SPV treatment and the position of group companies were not expressly settled, leading to disputes over who counts as a captive user and owner.

Now

Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2026 — Rule 3(1)

An SPV is treated as an association of persons. A company captive user includes its subsidiaries, holding company and the holding company's other subsidiaries as one user; their holdings can be aggregated toward the 26% threshold.

Proportionate consumption for associations of persons

Effective: Collective test 13 March 2026; clauses (ii) and (iii) from 1 April 2026

Needs review

Before

Electricity Rules, 2005 — Rule 3(1)(b)

Each member of an association of persons had to consume in proportion to its ownership share, within a narrow variation band.

Now

Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2026 — Rule 3(2)(d)

Tests are met collectively by all captive users. A user's captive consumption is admissible up to 100% of its proportionate share; users holding ≥26% are exempt. Captive users can draw power according to operational needs within the ownership and consumption conditions.

Affects:Group Captive Solar

Who verifies captive status

Effective: 1 April 2026

Needs review

Before

Practice under Rule 3 (2005)

Verification carried out by distribution licensees, frequently disputed.

Now

Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2026 — Rule 3(4)

State-designated nodal agency (same state) or NLDC (multi-state) verifies; appeals to a Grievance Redressal Committee. No surcharges pending verification on a declaration; if verification fails, surcharges are payable with carrying cost.

Open access eligibility threshold

Effective: 6 June 2022 (central rules); state alignment through MERC amendments

Needs review

Before

State open access practice (pre-GEOA)

Open access was generally available to consumers with contract demand of 1 MW and above.

Now

GEOA Rules, 2022

Green energy open access available at 100 kW and above — single or aggregated connections in the same electricity division. No load limit for captive consumers.

Additional surcharge on captive consumers

Effective: 6 June 2022

Needs review

Before

Electricity Act, 2003 — Section 42(4)

Additional surcharge payable by consumers taking supply from a person other than the licensee; applicability to captive users was contested.

Now

GEOA Rules, 2022

Additional surcharge stated as not applicable to captive consumers under green energy open access.

Rooftop solar and virtual net metering in Maharashtra

Effective: 2019

Needs review

Before

Earlier MERC net metering regulations

Net metering for individual consumer premises.

Now

MERC Grid Interactive Rooftop RE Regulations, 2019

Adds virtual and group net metering arrangements, including for housing societies, with capacity linked to sanctioned load.