Electricity Act, 2003
14. Grant of
licence.-
The Appropriate
Commission may, on an application made to it under section 15, grant a licence
to any person--
a.
to
transmit electricity as a transmission licensee; or
b.
to
distribute electricity as a distribution licensee; or
c.
to
undertake trading in electricity as an electricity trader, in any area as may
be specified in the licence:
Provided
that
any person engaged in the business of transmission or supply of electricity
under the provisions of the repealed laws or any Act specified in the Schedule
on or before the appointed date shall be deemed to be a licensee under this Act
for such period as may be stipulated in the licence, clearance or approval
granted to him under the repealed laws or such Act specified in the Schedule, and
the provisions of the repealed laws or such Act specified in the Schedule in
respect of such licence shall apply for a period of one year from the date of
commencement of this Act or such earlier period as may be specified, at the
request of the licensee, by the Appropriate Commission and thereafter the
provisions of this Act shall apply to such business:
Provided
further that
the Central Transmission Utility or the State Transmission Utility shall be
deemed to be a transmission licensee under this Act:
Provided
also that
in case an Appropriate Government trasmits electricity or distributes
electricity or undertakes trading in electricity, whether before or after the
commencement of this Act, such Government shall be deemed to be a licensee
under this Act, but shall not be required to obtain a licence under this Act:
Provided
also that
the Damodar Valley Corporation, established under sub-section (1) of section 3
of the Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948, shall be deemed to be a licensee
under this Act but shall not be required to obtain a licence under this Act and
the provisions of the Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948, insofar as they are
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, shall continue to apply to
that Corporation:
Provided
also that
the Government company or the company referred to in subsection (2) of section
131 of this Act and the company or companies created in pursuance of the Acts
specified in the Schedule, shall be deemed to be a licensee under this Act:
Provided
also that
the Appropriate Commission may grant a licence to two or more persons for
distribution of electricity through their own distribution system within the
same area, subject to the conditions that the applicant for grant of licence
within the same area shall, without prejudice to the other conditions or
requirements under this Act, comply with the additional requirements (relating
to the capital adequacy, Credit worthiness or code of conduct) as may be
prescribed by the Central Government, and no such applicant, who complies with
all the requirements for grant of licence, shall be refused grant of licence on
the ground that there already exists a licensee in the same area for the same
purpose:
Provided
also that
in a case where a distribution licensee proposes to undertake distribution of
electricity for a specified area within his area of supply through another
person, that person shall not be required to obtain any separate licence from
the concerned State Commission and such distribution licensee shall be responsible
for distribution of electricity in his area of supply:
Provided
also that
where a person intends to generate and distribute electricity in a rural area
to be notified by the State Government, such person shall not require any
licence for such generation and distribution of electricity, but he shall
comply with the measures which may be specified by the Authority under section
53:
Provided
also that
a distribution licensee shall not require a licence to undertake trading in
electricity.