In accordance with the Electricity Act, 2003, RPCs have been constituted by the Central Government for the specified Region(s) for facilitating the Integrated operation of the power system in the Region. The Secretariat of the RPC is headed by the Member Secretary, who is appointed by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), together with the other staff for the RPC Secretariat. Under section 29(4) of the Electricity Act, 2003, the Regional Power Committee in the region may, from time to time, agree on matters concerning the stability and smooth operation of the integrated grid and economy and efficiency in the operation of the power system in that region.
The following functions which go to facilitate the stability and smooth operation of the systems are identified for the RPC:
- To undertake Regional Level operation analysis for improving grid performance.
- To facilitate inter-state/inter-regional transfer of power.
- To facilitate all functions of planning relating to inter-state/ intrastate transmission system with CTU/STU.
- To coordinate planning of maintenance of generating machines of various generating companies of the region including those of interstate generating companies supplying electricity to the Region on annual basis and also to undertake review of maintenance programmed on monthly basis.
- To undertake planning of outage of transmission system on annual / monthly basis.
- To undertake operational planning studies including protection studies for stable operation of the grid.
- To undertake planning for maintaining proper voltages through review of reactive compensation requirement through system study committee and monitoring of installed capacitors.
- To evolve consensus on all issues relating to economy and efficiency in the operation of power system in the region.
The decisions of RPC arrived at by consensus regarding operation of the regional grid and scheduling and despatch of electricity, if not inconsistent with the provisions of IEGC / CERC Regulations, shall be followed by the concerned RLDC/SLDC/CTU/STU and Users, subject to directions of the Central Commission, if any.
Member Secretary, RPC shall, certify transmission system availability factor for regional AC and HVDC transmission systems separately for the purpose of payment of transmission charges:
RPC Secretariat or any other person as notified by the Commission from time to time, shall prepare monthly Regional Energy Account (REA), weekly unscheduled interchange account, reactive energy account, and congestion charge account, based on data provided by RLDC, and renewable regulatory charge account based on data provided by SLDC/RLDC of the State/Region in which the wind generator is located and any other charges specified by the Commission for the purpose of billing and payments of various charges .