Page 51 - Policy Economic Report - March 2026
P. 51

POLICY AND ECONOMIC REPORT
                OIL & GAS MARKET

            Key features of the amendments

            1. Clearly Defined Ownership Requirements

            The definition of ownership has been clarified to include subsidiaries, holding companies and other
            subsidiaries of the holding company of the entity that establishes the captive generating plant. This
            clarification recognises modern corporate structures where power assets are often developed through
            group entities or special purpose vehicles. The amendment ensures that legitimate captive investments
            by corporate groups are not denied captive status merely due to organisational structuring.

            2. Uniform Verification Period

            Verification of captive status will be undertaken for the entire financial year, ensuring clarity and
            uniformity in implementation. In cases involving the first or last year of ownership of a captive
            generating plant, verification may be undertaken for the relevant part of the financial year.

            3. Captive Plants established by Association of Persons (AoP)

            The amendments provide greater flexibility in operation of group captive projects established through
            an Association of Persons (AoP). Captive users will be able to draw power based on their operational
            requirements, subject to overall compliance with the statutory ownership and consumption conditions.

            Consumption exceeding the proportionate entitlement of an individual user will not result in
            disqualification of captive status for the plant. However, such excess consumption will not qualify as
            individual captive consumption but will still count towards the collective captive consumption qualifying
            requirement of the group.

            Where a member of the AoP holds 26 percent or more ownership, the proportionate consumption
            requirement will not apply to that entity and its entire consumption will be treated as captive
            consumption.

            For the purpose of proportionate consumption calculation, a captive user together with its subsidiaries,
            holding company and other subsidiaries of the holding company will be treated as a single person.

            4. Nodal Agencies for Captive Status Verification

            With effect from 1st April,2026 the State or Union Territory Governments may designate a nodal
            agency for verification of captive status in cases of intra-state captive consumption. For inter-state
            captive consumption, verification will be undertaken by the National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC).

            A Grievance Redressal Committee will be constituted by the Appropriate Government to address
            disputes arising from such verification decisions.

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