Punjab Open Access Solar Charges FY2026-27: Rates & Rules

Direct Answer

Punjab's open access regime got cheaper for C&I solar buyers in FY2026-27. PSERC's tariff order (Petition 70/2025, passed 6 March 2026) cut the additional surcharge to ₹1.13/kWh (full open access) and ₹0.78/kWh (partial open access) for April–September 2026, down from ₹1.47 and ₹1.09, implemented via PSPCL circular 09/2026 dated 10 March 2026. Green Energy Open Access is available from 100 kW of contracted demand, with banking under PSERC's GEOA Banking Procedure. The catch: the FY2026-27 CSS rate has not been published in accessible sources, so confirm the full charge stack with PSPCL before signing a third-party PPA — or structure the project as group captive and avoid CSS and the additional surcharge altogether.

TL;DR

• Punjab's additional surcharge fell to ₹1.13/kWh (full open access) and ₹0.78/kWh (partial open access) for April–September 2026, per PSERC's FY2026-27 order and PSPCL circular 09/2026.
• Green Energy Open Access eligibility starts at 100 kW of contracted demand; banking follows the PSPCL GEOA Banking Procedure (September 2025) — 10% in-kind deduction, banked drawal capped at 30% of monthly consumption, annual settlement June–May.
• The FY2026-27 CSS rate is not publicly available. Verify it with PSPCL/SLDC before financial close, or use group captive, which is exempt from CSS and additional surcharge.

Who qualifies for open access in Punjab

Punjab runs two parallel routes. Conventional open access has long required 1 MW of contracted demand or more. Green Energy Open Access (GEOA) under the central Green Open Access Rules 2022 lowers the bar to 100 kW of contracted demand, and PSERC's 13th Amendment to its Open Access Regulations in 2026 brought GEOA consumers — including renewable energy captive users — into the state framework. A 250–500 kW plant can now move through the GEOA route; our open access solar guide for India explains how state stacks fit together.

The additional surcharge cut for April–September 2026

The headline change is the additional surcharge — the levy compensating PSPCL when consumers buy through open access. Under the FY2026-27 order (Petition 70/2025, dated 6 March 2026):

That is a cut of roughly 23% and 28% respectively, implemented through PSPCL circular 09/2026 dated 10 March 2026. Note the half-year convention: the rate applies only to April–September 2026, so budget for periodic repricing rather than a fixed full-year rate.

Banking rules under the PSPCL GEOA Banking Procedure

Banking is where open access projects live or die, because solar generation rarely matches a factory's load. Punjab's framework is the PSPCL GEOA Banking Procedure (September 2025):

1. 10% in-kind deduction. Every banked unit loses 10% at injection.
2. 30% cap on banked drawal. The drawable quantum is capped at 30% of that month's consumption, so a light production month cannot be covered mostly from the bank.
3. Annual settlement over June–May. Plan seasonal load swings against this calendar.
4. No third-party sale of banked energy. Banked energy is for your own use only.

Together, these rules push buyers to size solar against a stable daytime base load rather than maximum roof area — over-sizing just grows the deduction and the lapsed surplus.

Wheeling and transmission: what we know

Per industry summaries of the PSERC order, wheeling and transmission for in-state renewable supply under GEOA are levied at a small share of energy injected rather than as distance-based tariffs — predictable for a rooftop or local plant. Confirm the exact percentage with the SLDC during application, since it depends on voltage level and schedule in force.

The missing piece: the FY2026-27 CSS rate

The CSS most often decides whether third-party open access solar pencils out. Punjab's methodology is the standard formula — S = T − C — under Regulation 26 of the Open Access Regulations 2011: T is the category's average cost of supply realisation, C the charges recovered from the open access consumer.

Here is the honest position: the FY2026-27 CSS rate for Punjab has not been published in accessible sources, and we will not quote a number we cannot verify. Because the additional surcharge was cut in the March 2026 order, the CSS schedule may well have been revised in the same cycle — but the applicable figure must be confirmed in writing from PSPCL or the SLDC, and models built before that should carry a sensitivity range on the CSS line.

Rooftop net metering remains the simpler alternative

Not every factory needs open access. Under the PSERC Rooftop Solar Regulations 2021, net metering is available for rooftop systems up to 500 kW and 70% of sanctioned load, with net and virtual net metering effective from 1 July 2026. Inside that envelope, net metering avoids CSS, additional surcharge and banking deductions entirely — the trade-off is the 70% ceiling on how much generation you can offset.

How the Haryana belt compares

Many manufacturers operate plants on both sides of the Punjab–Haryana line, where the open access charge stacks differ in structure and rates. Our guide to Haryana open access solar charges for FY2026-27 breaks down that stack — model the two states charge by charge before allocating capital between sites. Sun Wave Technologies, which serves industrial clients across Delhi-NCR and Haryana, regularly runs this kind of multi-state comparison.

Why group captive changes the maths

The biggest lever in Punjab is structure, not location. Under a group captive arrangement — the consuming company holds at least 26% equity in the plant and self-consumes the power — the project is treated as captive self-use and is exempt from the CSS and the additional surcharge, usually the largest avoidable levies in the stack. Our group captive solar guide for North Indian industry explains the 26% equity rule, and our third-party sale versus group captive comparison sets out when each structure wins. If group captive does not fit, stay under the rooftop net metering caps and accept the 70% offset ceiling.

A practical sequence for Punjab buyers

1. Confirm eligibility — contracted demand against the 100 kW GEOA threshold (or 1 MW).
2. Get the charge stack in writing — especially CSS, since the FY2026-27 rate is not publicly available.
3. Model the banking behaviour — the 10% deduction, 30% drawal cap and June–May settlement applied to your consumption.
4. Test the group captive alternative against third-party OA on delivered cost per kWh.
5. Benchmark against rooftop net metering if your load fits within 500 kW and 70% of sanctioned load.
6. Contract for repricing risk — the additional surcharge is set half-yearly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the additional surcharge on open access in Punjab for FY2026-27?

For April–September 2026, PSERC's FY2026-27 order (Petition 70/2025) set the additional surcharge at ₹1.13/kWh for full open access and ₹0.78/kWh for partial open access, down from ₹1.47/kWh and ₹1.09/kWh in the previous half-year. PSPCL circular 09/2026 dated 10 March 2026 implemented the change.

Who is eligible for green energy open access in Punjab?

Consumers with 100 kW or more of contracted demand qualify under the central Green Open Access Rules 2022, and PSERC's 13th Amendment in 2026 brought GEOA consumers, including renewable captive users, into the state framework. Conventional open access still requires 1 MW or more.

Can banked solar energy be sold to a third party in Punjab?

No. Under the PSPCL GEOA Banking Procedure (September 2025), banked energy is for the consumer's own use only. Banked injections also attract a 10% in-kind deduction, drawal is capped at 30% of monthly consumption, and the account settles annually over June–May.

Is the FY2026-27 CSS rate available for Punjab?

Not in accessible sources at the time of writing. The methodology (S = T − C under Regulation 26 of the Open Access Regulations 2011) is known, but the applicable FY2026-27 rate is not publicly published. Confirm it in writing with PSPCL or the SLDC before finalising any contract.

Is rooftop net metering still available for factories in Punjab?

Yes. Under the PSERC Rooftop Solar Regulations 2021, net metering is available up to 500 kW and 70% of sanctioned load (net and virtual net metering from 1 July 2026). Within those caps it avoids CSS, additional surcharge and banking deductions entirely.