Regulatory Research Camp (RRC)

The participants, in collaboration with the Centre’s researchers, will undertake a timeline based guided research to gain hands-on experience on problem solving and policy development issues through week-long workshops called Regulatory Research Camps (RRCs) at IITK or any other chosen destination(s) to be preceded by online discussions and resource sharing. Deputation of staff from ERCs at the Centre and vice versa, for a shorter duration of time, will further enhance the quality of collaborative regulatory research on identified topics.

First Regulatory Research Camp

A five-day workshop from 10–14 July 10-14, 2018 called Regulatory Research Camp (RRC) organised by Centre for Energy Regulation (CER), IIT Kanpur at Timber Trail, Prawanoo, Himachal Pradesh on the topic, ‘Regulatory Framework for Long Term Demand Forecasting and Power Procurement Planning’. The workshop had eight participants comprising selected officials from ERCs, utilities and academia. There were focussed deliberations on various facets of long term demand forecasting and power procurement planning wherein the participants shared their experiences of prevailing regulatory practices in their respective states and came up with a set of inputs that need to go into formulating an overarching regulation on the topic.

The participants exchanged their experience in:

1) Current Regulatory framework for Long Term Demand Forecasting

• Relevant SERC Regulations/Orders
• Existing practices being followed
• Compliance mechanism
• Status of implementation

2) Current Regulatory framework for Power Procurement Planning

• Relevant SERC Regulations/Orders
• EPS/State forecasting for their states and reports which are referred to for this exercise
• Compliance mechanism
• Unit of estimation and planning for electricity [Division level / Discom level / State level etc.]

The workshop also featured an expert talk by Director, Central Electricity Authority, who shared his experience of bringing out the Nineteenth Electric Power Survey report – sources of data, methodology adopted and obstacles faced. The participants also interacted with the officials of Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC) and Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) and exchanged their views. There was also an interaction with the Chairman, Jharkhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (JSERC) where he shared his experience on the topic with the participants.

Based on the above, the participants came up with recommendations for a comprehensive regulatory framework for long term demand forecasting and power procurement planning which can be tailor made and adopted by various State Electricity Regulatory Commissions. The outcome of the camp would be shared with the stakeholders for a wider consultation.