IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JAIPUR
MOHAMMAD RAFIQ, ALOK SHARMA, JJ.
Ajmer Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited – Appellant
Versus
Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) Yashad Bhawan, Udaipur (Raj.) – Respondent
D.B. Civil Miscellaneous Appeal No.2803 of 2017
Decided On : 05-04-2018
Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 - Section 37 - Electricity Act, 2003 - Section 4, 94, and 158 – Electricity – Commission – Jurisdiction – Evidence - Open Access Consumer each day shall furnish to Ajmer Disco schedule of drawl block basis which it intent to draw against open access and block basis schedule against contract demand of existing connections f any separately - Drawl schedule of open access power shall be limited to availability shown by supplying generator in its schedule – Held, Award is thus vitiated by “patent illegality” within the meaning ascribed to the term by the Apex Court in the case of Associate Builders Vs. Delhi Development Authority award is liable to be set aside also on this ground. So is Commercial Courts judgment AVVNLs objections to award - Apex Court held that a party cannot play hot and cold both approbate and reprobate and after gaining benefits of contract cannot challenge its conditions with regard to its obligation – Appeal allowed
Sharma, J.
1. By this Miscellaneous appeal under Section 37 of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 (hereafter ‘the Act of 1996’) a challenge has been laid to the judgment dated 25-2-2017 passed by the Commercial Court dismissing the appellant AVVNL's (hereafter 'AVVNL') objections under Section 34 of the Act of 1996 to the award dated 25-8-2007 passed by the sole Arbitrator appointed by the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission Jaipur (hereafter ‘the Commission’) vide order dated 12-2-2007 purporting to exercise its power under Section 4, 94, and 158 of the Electricity Act, 2003 (hereafter ‘the Act of 2003’) read with clause 30 of the Rajasthan Electricity Commission terms and Conditions of (open access) Regulations, 2004 (hereafter 'Regulations of 2004').
2. The necessary facts relevant to adjudication of the appeal are that the respondent Hindustan Zinc Limited (hereafter ‘HZL’) has four high tension Electricity Connections for its units at Chanderiya, Debari, Aghucha and Dariba for which four contracts with AVVNL obtain for purchase of electricity. HZL also set up a captive power plant (hereafter ‘CPP') of 154 MW (2x77 MW) at Chanderiya, which was commissioned in February, 2005 and synchronized with the Rajasthan Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited Grid (hereafter ‘the RVPNL’). Short term open access to transmission and distribution systems of RVPNL and AVVNL for electricity generated at the CPP was sought under the Regulations of 2004 framed under Sections 42(2) and 181 of the Act of 2003. Requisite permission for open access to the transmission system was granted by RRVPNL on 28-1- 2005 and open access thereafter obtained under agreement dated 11-3-2005. HZL also entered into three open access agreements with the AVVNL on 10-3-2005 for wheeling of power from its CPP on AVVNL's distribution system. The open access capacity allocation agreement between AVVNL and HZL was for Rampura Aghucha— 20000 KW, for Debari—15000 KW and for Dariba—5000 KW. Open access commenced 24-3-2005 and the power generated by the respondent HZL at its CPP after meeting the requirements of its industrial unit at Chanderiaya was injected at 132 KV and 220 KV grid substations at Chittorgarh from where it was transmitted on RVPN’s transmission system and supplied to respondent HZL’s units at Aghucha, Debari and Dariba through AVVNL’s distribution lines.
3. Under the open access agreements dated 10-3-2005 between AVVNL and HZL it was agreed that charges for existing connections for the sanctioned contract demand of HZL as a Discom consumer and charges as open access consumer would be governed by the tariff and regulatory order/s in force from time to time. The agreements specifically provided for daily scheduling of injection and drawl for each 15 minutes time block. It was also agreed that Availability Base Tariff (ABT) complaint meters capable of recording deviation from schedules of the generating system station contracted by open access consumer for supplying/injection open access power were to be provided at injection point. Other salient features of the agreement dated 10-3-2005 relevant for this miscellaneous appeal were as under:-
“As both the parties are agreeable to modify the existing connection agreements to the extent applicable.”
(1) Definitions
In this agreement, unless the context otherwise requires-
(a) “Act” means the Electricity Act, 2003 (Act No.36 of 2003);
(b) "ABT Compliant Meter” means metering system specified for Availability Based Tariff (ABT) in metering code by the commission;
(c) "Commission” means Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission;
(d) “Contract Demand” shall mean the demand in KVA sanctioned for the consumer which the Ajmer Discom makes specific commitment to supply energy from time to time subject to the governing terms and conditions;
(e) “Distribution Metering Code" means the metering code specified by the commission for distribution system of the distribution licensee in the state;
(f) "Grid Code" means t
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