Opening new doors for the utilisation of transmission assets by utilities for other businesses including mobile services, the power regulator Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) on Wednesday proposed norms. It has suggested a revenue sharing mechanism, for use of transmission assets by Power Grid Corp of India and other inter-state transmission licensees for telecom business such as laying of optical fibre communication cables over towers. According to a statement issued by the power regulator, it proposes that the transmission owners would share revenues at the rate of Rs 3,000 per year per km for laying one optical fibre cable over the transmission towers. Revenues will be adjusted toward the transmission service charges payable to the transmission owner. Besides, transmission owners proposing to undertake other businesses for optimum utilisation of its assets would have to give prior intimation to the Commission. “The transmission owner undertaking other business before commencement of these regulations shall give such intimation within two months from the date such commencement,” CERC said. In case of any other business, the Commission would decide on sharing of revenue on case-to-case basis after consideration of the value of the assets. To safeguard the interests of transmission beneficiaries, the regulator has also sought the transmission utilities to ensure the business does not subsidise other businesses. “The transmission owner shall not in any way encumber its transmission assets to support the other business,” it said. The proposed regulations also provide for maintenance of separate books of accounts for each business and submit copies of the balance sheet, profit and loss accounts, and auditors reports to the Commission annually.
