The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has released draft amendments for 2026 that, while technical on the surface, carry real cost implications for any consumer participating in open access or exchange-based procurement. Here are the five changes worth your attention.
1. Tighter scheduling and forecasting norms
The draft proposes stricter day-ahead and intra-day scheduling discipline for open access consumers. In practice this means your energy manager — or your supply partner — will need to forecast consumption more accurately, because the penalty for deviating from schedule is being sharpened.
2. Revised Deviation Settlement Mechanism (DSM)
The Deviation Settlement Mechanism governs what you pay (or are paid) when actual drawal differs from your schedule. The 2026 draft narrows the permissible deviation band and revises the price-linked penalty structure. Consumers with volatile or unpredictable load patterns are the most exposed.
Key Takeaways
- Scheduling accuracy will matter more — forecasting capability becomes a cost lever.
- Deviation penalty bands are narrowing under the revised DSM.
- REC validity and pricing mechanics are being reviewed.
- General Network Access (GNA) rules continue to reshape transmission booking.
- Compliance reporting obligations are increasing for large consumers.
3. Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) changes
The draft revisits REC validity periods and the floor/forbearance price framework. For consumers meeting Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO) through RECs rather than physical green power, the cost and availability calculus may shift.
4. General Network Access (GNA) refinements
Building on the GNA regulations, the 2026 draft refines how transmission capacity is booked and how charges are allocated. This affects the wheeling component of your open access cost — a meaningful line item for inter-state transactions.
5. Expanded compliance reporting
Larger consumers and traders face additional periodic reporting obligations. The administrative burden is modest, but non-compliance can carry penalties and, in some cases, suspension of open access privileges.
What you should do now
Draft regulations are exactly that — drafts. They typically go through a public comment period before final notification, and the details can change. But the direction of travel is clear: more discipline, more accurate scheduling, and tighter settlement.
If you rely on open access or exchange procurement, this is the moment to assess your forecasting capability and review your supply contracts for how deviation risk is allocated between you and your supplier. The consumers who prepare ahead of final notification will avoid the scramble — and the penalties — that catch the unprepared.
