End-to-end energy consulting for C&I businesses — Captive & Group Captive power structuring, Open Access procurement, RCO compliance, and expert regulatory advisory aligned with the latest CERC & MoP frameworks.
Expert advisory across the full energy value chain — from procurement to compliance, trading to green strategy.
Set up dedicated 26% equity captive structures or group captive arrangements that exempt your business from Cross-Subsidy Surcharge and Additional Surcharge. Significant tariff reduction with full regulatory protection.
Explore →End-to-end strategy to reduce power costs via Open Access — STOA/MTOA/LTOA approvals, bilateral sourcing, and tariff optimisation. Typical savings: 25–35% vs grid tariff.
Explore →Helping C&I consumers transition to green power — Solar, Wind, Hybrid, RTC — with optimised commercial structures, bankable long-term PPAs, and VPPA frameworks.
Explore →Expert support on CERC/SERC regulations, captive verification, Open Access approvals, DSM management, and impact assessment of new policy developments.
Explore →Load forecasting, scheduling, DSM optimisation, and real-time decision support across captive, open access, and DISCOM supply portfolios to minimise total cost.
Explore →RCO planning under the 2025 framework, REC procurement, and green attribute optimisation — keeping your C&I business fully compliant under the latest MoP norms.
Explore →For large C&I consumers, captive and group captive power isn't just a procurement choice — it's the most cost-effective and regulation-protected way to source electricity in India. Captive consumers are fully exempt from Cross-Subsidy Surcharge (CSS) and Additional Surcharge under Section 9 of the Electricity Act, 2003, dramatically lowering landed cost compared to standard Open Access.
Linus Solution has structured captive and group captive arrangements for manufacturing companies, data centres, IT parks, and retail chains across India — handling everything from SPV formation and equity structuring to ongoing 26% / 51% compliance verification under Rule 3 of the Electricity Rules, 2005.
Discuss Your Captive Strategy →Captive and group captive structures deliver benefits that pure Open Access simply cannot match for high-consumption C&I buyers.
Captive consumers carrying their own power for self-use are statutorily exempt from CSS — saving ₹1.50–2.50/unit in most states. Across SERC jurisdictions, this single exemption typically delivers the largest landed-cost reduction.
Unlike Open Access consumers who face Additional Surcharge of ₹1.20–1.80/unit across most state DISCOMs, pure captive use is fully protected against this stranded-cost recovery levy.
Lock in 15–25 year energy costs at fixed escalation through a PPA with your captive SPV — insulating your business from DISCOM tariff hikes and FPPCA pass-through.
Captive solar/wind generation directly counts toward your Renewable Consumption Obligation — eliminating the need to separately purchase RECs or pay buyout penalties.
Captive RE drives directly verifiable Scope 2 emission reductions — strengthening your BRSR reporting, CDP scores, and global ESG ratings for export-led manufacturers.
26% equity stake in the captive generating company means your business benefits both from low energy costs and equity returns on the underlying RE asset.
Three proven structures, each suited to different consumer profiles and balance-sheet preferences.
Single-consumer ownership of generation asset
Equity participation in shared generation asset
Combine captive baseload with OA exchange optimisation
A proven 6-phase roadmap from feasibility to long-term compliance — typically 12–18 months from kick-off to commissioning.
Detailed load profile analysis, technology mix (solar/wind/hybrid), and identification of optimum project location with resource assessment.
Captive generating company set-up, 26% / 51% equity-consumption matching, shareholder agreements, and tax-efficient structuring.
SERC captive status registration, Open Access for power wheeling, STU/DISCOM connectivity, environmental clearances, and CEA compliance.
Bankable PPA between SPV and consumer(s), competitive EPC selection, financing tie-up with lenders, and construction supervision through COD.
Annual captive verification (Rule 3, Electricity Rules 2005), SERC reporting, energy accounting, REC accounting, and DSM management.
Hybrid additions, BESS retrofits, expansion as load grows, and adaptation to new SERC tariff orders and the Electricity Amendment Bill.
We don't just advise — we've been in the field. Our team has personally built, commissioned, and operated renewable energy projects across India, navigating every challenge from land acquisition and grid connectivity to power exchange trading and multi-state regulatory approvals.
Whether you're a manufacturer exploring Open Access for the first time, or an IPP scaling to 100 MW across multiple states, our experience spans every phase of the project lifecycle. We speak the language of engineers, traders, regulators, and CFOs equally.
Solar irradiation analysis, wind mapping, grid proximity study, land due diligence, and bankability assessment — we evaluate viability before a single rupee is committed.
CERC/SERC filings, Open Access applications, STU/CTU connectivity, environmental clearances, and CEA compliance — handled end-to-end across all states.
EPC vendor management, grid evacuation design, metering & SCADA set-up, SLDC scheduling procedures, and commercial operations date (COD) planning.
Bilateral PPA management, captive verification (Rule 3 compliance), STOA/MTOA/LTOA renewals, energy accounting, RCO reporting, and continuous cost optimisation at scale.
Our edge comes not from textbooks but from years of hands-on project work — across technologies, states, and regulatory environments.
Solar, wind, hybrid, RTC, BESS — we evaluate what's right for your load profile, not what's easiest to sell.
Active experience across Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, MP, and Andhra Pradesh.
In-house expertise on CERC, SERC, DSM, RCO, VPPAs, and the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 — before they impact you.
Deep experience setting up captive and group captive SPVs across India — from 26% equity design to annual Rule 3 verification.
From early state-level RPO frameworks to today's complex RCO regime, VPPA structures, and electricity futures — we've grown with India's power sector and built capabilities that few consulting firms can match.
Began with hands-on SERC open access approvals for manufacturing clients across northern India, identifying ₹50+ Cr in tariff savings in the first cohort of engagements.
Designed captive and group captive SPVs for manufacturing groups, structuring 26% equity arrangements that unlocked CSS & Additional Surcharge exemptions and long-term tariff certainty.
Took on end-to-end project development — land, approvals, EPC oversight, grid connectivity, and commercial operations commissioning from 0 to COD.
Managing multi-state energy portfolios under the new RCO regime, structuring VPPAs, and advising on Electricity Amendment Bill implications nationwide.
A structured, end-to-end approach that eliminates uncertainty and keeps your business protected at every stage.
We analyse your consumption pattern, tariff structure, and regulatory exposure to identify savings opportunities.
Custom energy procurement strategy including Open Access options, exchange trading routes, and RCO compliance roadmap.
End-to-end execution — DISCOM approvals, PPA negotiations, IEX/PXIL trading set-up, scheduling and DSM management.
Continuous regulatory monitoring, REC management, DSM monitoring, and proactive impact assessment of new CERC/SERC orders.
In-depth analysis on CERC orders, state SERC updates, Open Access changes, and market trends across India.
CERC
Grid-India has issued Revision 2 of the T-GNA procedure through NOAR on 24 June 2026. Registration, standing clearance, application, and charges — the complete procedure decoded.
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State RegulationKarnataka
KERC's draft regulations replace transaction-based open access with a capacity-based GNA model. What Karnataka C&I consumers should do before October 2026.
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CERC
CERC's phased rollout of market coupling, starting with DAM, reshapes how prices are discovered across IEX, PXIL and HPX. April 2026 draft makes Grid-India the sole MCO.
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Captive Power
Sweeping changes to captive verification, equity norms and group captive qualification. What every C&I captive consumer must know about the new rules.
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CERC
Technology-based multipliers up to 4× for offshore wind, 3× for BESS-RE. Regulation 14A creates a VPPA framework. Expanded eligibility for self-consumption RE.
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CERC
CERC's December 2025 VPPA Guidelines establish a formal framework for Virtual Power Purchase Agreements — a credible third route for corporate renewable procurement.
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CERC
Full ISTS waiver until June 2025, tapering to zero after June 2028. What C&I open access buyers and developers must plan for now.
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State RegulationPunjab
Punjab streamlines green open access and strengthens banking provisions, aligning with Haryana and Rajasthan. What Punjab industries should do now.
Read Article →Common questions from C&I consumers exploring captive power, group captive arrangements, open access, and RCO compliance in India.
Captive Power is electricity generated for self-use by a consumer or a group of consumers under Section 9 of the Electricity Act, 2003. To qualify, consumers must hold at least 26% equity in the generating company and consume at least 51% of the generated power (Rule 3 of the Electricity Rules, 2005). Captive consumers are statutorily exempt from Cross-Subsidy Surcharge (CSS) and Additional Surcharge, making it the most cost-effective procurement route for industrial and commercial buyers in India.
Group Captive consumers hold equity in the generating SPV and qualify for exemption from Cross-Subsidy Surcharge (CSS) and Additional Surcharge. Open Access consumers, by contrast, pay both these levies in addition to wheeling and transmission charges. As a result, Group Captive typically delivers ₹2–3 per unit lower landed cost than standard Open Access for the same renewable energy — a substantial structural advantage for high-volume C&I consumers.
The Renewable Consumption Obligation (RCO) replaces the older state-level RPO regime with a unified national mandate notified by the Ministry of Power. From FY 2024–25 onwards, designated consumers — including Open Access users, DISCOMs and captive plants — must meet escalating targets: 29.91% in FY 2024–25 rising to 43.33% by FY 2029–30 of total electricity consumption. Compliance can be met through direct renewable consumption, REC purchase, or buyout payment to the Central Energy Conservation Fund.
Typical savings range from 25–35% versus DISCOM industrial tariffs for Open Access consumers, and up to 40% for Group Captive or Pure Captive arrangements due to the statutory exemption from CSS and Additional Surcharge. For a typical 5 MW HT industrial consumer in India, this translates to indicative landed costs of around ₹7.50/unit for Open Access versus ~₹5.00/unit for captive routes — savings of ~₹3 per unit. Actual savings vary by state SERC, technology mix, voltage level and PPA terms.
Linus Solution has active project development and regulatory experience across multiple states including Haryana (HERC), Rajasthan (RERC), Uttar Pradesh (UPERC), Maharashtra (MERC), Gujarat (GERC), Karnataka (KERC), Madhya Pradesh (MPERC) and Andhra Pradesh (APERC). We work directly with the respective State Electricity Regulatory Commissions, DISCOMs, STUs and SLDCs to deliver state-specific Open Access, captive and renewable energy solutions for C&I clients.
A typical captive renewable power project takes 12–18 months from kick-off to Commercial Operations Date (COD). This covers six phases: feasibility & site assessment, SPV structuring & equity design, regulatory approvals (SERC captive status, Open Access, environmental clearances), PPA & EPC execution, commissioning, and the start of operations & compliance. Group Captive structures may complete faster when leveraging existing developer infrastructure.
Short-Term Open Access (STOA) covers transactions up to one month with day-ahead/real-time scheduling. Medium-Term Open Access (MTOA) covers contracts from 3 months up to 3 years, suited for bilateral or exchange-based procurement. Long-Term Open Access (LTOA) covers contracts of 12+ years and is typically used for captive plants and long-duration renewable PPAs. Each has different connectivity, approval and charging implications under the CERC and state Open Access regulations.
Yes. Linus Solution handles complete regulatory lifecycle management — SERC captive status registration, Open Access applications (STOA/MTOA/LTOA), STU/CTU connectivity, environmental and CEA clearances, DISCOM coordination, and annual captive verification under Rule 3 of the Electricity Rules 2005. We also monitor and provide impact assessment on new CERC orders, the upcoming Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, and state-level tariff orders that affect your power procurement strategy.
Whether you're a C&I consumer exploring Open Access for the first time, or an IPP optimising trading across states — our team is ready. Book a free energy assessment with no obligation.