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Solar Solutions · Open Access

Buy Solar Power at Scale.

Open Access Solar for Large C&I Consumers

If your business consumes more than 1 MW of electricity, Open Access Solar is the most powerful tool in India to cut energy costs by 30–50% — without building a plant on your premises. Powermore handles everything from regulatory filing to power scheduling, so you can focus on your business while we deliver low-cost green energy to your meter.

Check Open Access Eligibility for My Facility

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1 MW+
Minimum Load for Open Access
30–50%
Typical Savings on Energy Bills
₹4.50–6/unit
Effective Open Access Solar Rate
15–25 Yrs
Long-Term PPA Security
Indian high-voltage transmission lines crossing semi-arid landscape at golden hour

What is Open Access Solar — and Why Does It Matter for Large C&I Consumers?

Enabled by India's Electricity Act 2003, Open Access allows any consumer with a contracted demand of 1 MW or more to purchase electricity from a generator of their choice — bypassing the local DISCOM's supply monopoly for a significant share of their consumption. In simple terms: your factory in Pune can buy solar power generated in Rajasthan and wheel it to your premises through the state transmission network.

You pay for the solar power (at a rate 30–50% lower than your DISCOM tariff), plus transmission and wheeling charges, and a cross-subsidy surcharge — but the net effective rate is almost always substantially lower than your current electricity bill. And unlike the CAPEX model, you don't need to build or own any solar infrastructure.

Three Open Access Structures — Which One is Right for You?

01
Long-Term PPA

Third-Party Open Access

You sign a long-term PPA (15–25 years) with a solar developer who builds a utility-scale solar plant specifically to supply your power. The power travels through SLDC-scheduled transmission lines to your utility. This is the most common structure for large industrial consumers — cement, steel, chemicals, auto.

  • ▸Minimum requirement: 1 MW contracted demand
  • ▸Savings: 25–40% on energy cost after all OA charges
  • ▸Best for: Manufacturers, large factories, SEZs with stable 24×7 baseload
  • ▸Contract tenure: 15–25 years with annual escalation of 2–3%
02
Equity stake · Lowest charges

Group Captive Solar

Multiple companies collectively own a minimum 26% equity stake in a solar power plant. The remaining 74% can be held by a developer like Powermore. Each group captive member receives power proportional to their equity share — and since they are classified as 'captive consumers', they pay the lowest applicable charges (exempt from cross-subsidy surcharge in most states).

  • ▸Minimum equity: 26% stake in the solar plant (can be as small as ₹2–5 Cr for large plants)
  • ▸Savings: 40–55% — best financial outcome under Open Access
  • ▸Best for: Industry associations, corporate groups, SEZs, real estate developers
  • ▸States with strong group captive frameworks: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, AP
Structure 03 · Short-Term / Exchange

Trade on IEX for flexible peak-shaving

Procure solar from the Indian Energy Exchange on a monthly or daily basis, ideal for peak load coverage and short-term flexibility while you finalise a long-term PPA.

Open Access Cost Architecture — Detailed Breakdown

Open Access has multiple components beyond the solar tariff. Here's exactly what you pay and to whom.

Charge ComponentIndicative RatePaid ToMitigation Available?
Solar Energy Charge (PPA tariff)₹3.00 – ₹4.50/unitSolar DeveloperNo — this is your savings lever
Transmission Charges (SLDC / STU)₹0.50 – ₹1.20/unitState Transmission UtilityFixed by SERC
Wheeling Charges (DISCOM)₹0.30 – ₹0.80/unitDISCOMFixed by SERC
Cross-Subsidy Surcharge (CSS)₹0.60 – ₹2.00/unitDISCOMWaived for Group Captive in many states
Additional Surcharge (AS)₹0.10 – ₹0.50/unitDISCOMOften waived for renewables
Scheduling / Banking Charges₹0.05 – ₹0.10/unitSLDCMinimal
Effective All-In Solar Rate
₹4.50 – ₹6.50/unit
vs ₹8–12/unit DISCOM rate
Net Saving
₹2.50 – ₹6.00/unit
30–55% reduction on energy bill

States Where Powermore Has Active Open Access Projects

StateRegulatorKey OA Policy Feature
MaharashtraMERCNet metering up to 1 MW; group captive well-established
RajasthanRERCHighest solar irradiation; favourable CSS waiver for renewables
KarnatakaKERCStrong OA framework; CSS exempt for group captive under RE
GujaratGERCGroup captive pioneer; banking allowed up to 3 months
Tamil NaduTNERCIntra-state OA; wind + solar bundling possible
Andhra PradeshAPERCLargest C&I OA market in South India
TelanganaTSERCGrowing OA market; pharma and IT sector adoption
HaryanaHERCNCR industrial consumers actively using OA

Regulatory & Compliance — What Powermore Handles for You

Open Access Application

Filing with SLDC / DISCOM / STU under Short-Term or Long-Term category

NOC from DISCOM

Obtaining No-Objection Certificate and metering arrangement

PPA Negotiation

Competitive discovery of best solar tariff from empanelled developers

SLDC Scheduling

Monthly and intra-day power scheduling, deviation management

RPO Compliance

Ensuring your Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) is met through OA solar

REC & I-REC Procurement

If required for ESG / CDP / GRI reporting

Group Captive Legal Structure

SPV formation, equity documentation, shareholder agreements

CSS Waiver Applications

Applying for cross-subsidy surcharge waivers where state policy allows

Are You Eligible for Open Access Solar? Quick Check

Most C&I facilities above 1 MW qualify. Tick all five and you're an OA candidate.

  • 1

    Connected / Contract Demand

    1 MW or more from your DISCOM

  • 2

    Consumption

    Primarily daytime or 24×7 industrial / commercial operations

  • 3

    Location

    Facility in a state with active OA policy (most major industrial states qualify)

  • 4

    Credit Rating

    Good payment track record with DISCOM (required for OA approval)

  • 5

    Category

    HT / EHT consumer (High Tension supply) — most C&I facilities above 1 MW qualify automatically

Powermore Open Access Projects — Pan-India

Large Industrial, RajasthanIndustrial
Durgapur & Rajasthan Operations · 8 MW Long-Term Open Access PPA · Model: Third-Party OA — 20-Year PPA at ₹3.60/unit

Large Industrial, Rajasthan

Power wheeled from a Powermore-facilitated solar farm in Rajasthan. Annual saving of ₹9.5 Cr vs JVVNL HT rate. RPO compliance fully met through OA solar. Powermore handles monthly SLDC scheduling.

Annual Savings₹9.5 Crore / year
Auto Ancillary Industry, Multi-StateAuto Ancillary
Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan · 12 MW Group Captive Solar · Model: Group Captive — 26% equity stake by Minda

Auto Ancillary Industry, Multi-State

Multi-state group captive structure. CSS fully waived under Rajasthan RE policy. Effective solar rate: ₹4.10/unit vs DISCOM rates of ₹9–11/unit across states. Equity investment by Minda: ₹18 Cr.

Annual Savings₹14 Crore / year
Commercial Real Estate, NCRReal Estate
Gurugram, Haryana · 5 MW Open Access — Commercial Office Parks · Model: Third-Party PPA + Short-Term Exchange

Commercial Real Estate, NCR

Hybrid OA strategy: 4 MW long-term PPA for baseload + 1 MW short-term IEX procurement for peak optimisation. ESG impact: 7,200 tonnes CO₂/year offset. SEBI BRSR-compliant reporting provided by Powermore.

Annual Savings₹5.8 Crore / year
Multi-Plant Portfolio, Rajasthan & UPCement
Beawar (Rajasthan) + Bulandshahr (UP) · 25 MW Group Captive Solar · Model: Group Captive — Powermore as lead developer & IPP

Multi-Plant Portfolio, Rajasthan & UP

India's largest C&I group captive transaction facilitated by Powermore. Shree Cement holds 26% equity. Balance funded by Powermore. Dual-state OA simultaneously active. SLDC scheduling managed 24×7 by Powermore operations team.

Annual Savings₹28 Crore / year
Free State-Specific Report in 48 Hrs

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