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15 Minutes Time Slot and Grid Management

Posted by admin on 2026-01-02 07:46:27 | Last Updated by admin on 2026-01-22 02:24:59

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The new Green Energy Open Access Regulations that was announced by TNERC two months back still seems to be waiting for a good day to be made into rule.

It spoke about the 15-minute slot size for the state of Tamil Nadu. How bad does it look?

Let us do a simple analysis.

Food products have a shelf life of about 3 days without refrigeration or preservative. Material such as engineering components have years of shelf life. What about electricity?

Electricity has to be consumed on a second-to-second basis! There is absolutely zero shelf life for electricity.

The whole electricity and therefore, the grid system are all designed for instantaneous consumption of power. If electricity could be stored as in say, batteries, we will possibly have got our EVs long time back.

Well then, grid system is really designed for immediate consumption of power. There is no way it could be consumed in a 15-minute slot basis or four hour slot basis or whatever slots. Whatever is generated is consumed instantaneously!

What is the problem with 15-minute slots?

Really speaking there is no problem! We are already consumed on an instantaneous basis. While so, 15-minute slot is no play; is easy! It is just an accounting gimmick.

We find it different from what we are using today therefore, the issue.

The other rule, particularly, the one on banking is the most problematic ad hoc solution given by TNERC which should be the one we should be fighting against. What is the DisCom doing to provide this so-called banking?

No power is stored or any specific work is done by the DisCom to really claim that they are providing a service. The only service they are doing is accounting it. What is injected at which point in time and when is it withdrawn for consumption? This is the only thing that is required because the regular scheduling system of the grid will take care of the problems in generation and load.

Power is injected at date and time A and is consumed at a different date and time B. The only thing that DisCom can legitimately ask for is the price difference between time B and time A. If B is higher, consumer pays, if A is higher DisCom should pay.

Simple and straight forward.

To charge a standing banking charge like 14% or 8% is ad hoc and has neither technical nor commercial logic. Nor is there a reasoning for one month banking or one year banking. Banking should be endless. It is a credit debit system.

I inject now. Credited to my account. I consume later. Debit my account at that point in time. On both occasions, the kWh credited or debited should be done so, with the rate per kWh at that point in time!

- R Shanthakumar

Cheif Executive Officer

eClouds Energy LLP