CENTRAL POWER DISTRIBUTION CO. vs CENTRAL ELECTRICITY REGULATORE COMM.&ANR

The Supreme Court upheld the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission's (CERC) order regarding the implementation of Availability Based Tariff (ABT) for the Simhadri SPTS thermal station, affirming that the CERC had jurisdiction under the Electricity Act, 2003 to levy Unscheduled Interchange Charges despite the appellants' claims of lack of jurisdiction. The Court clarified that the ABT was necessary for maintaining grid safety and preventing blackouts, thus rejecting the appeal against the Appellate Tribunal's dismissal. The judgment reinforces the regulatory authority of CERC in tariff matters under the Electricity Act, 2003.