The concept of open access, included in the Electricity Act 2003 to promote competition, allows retail consumers to seek power supply from sources other than the incumbent utility. In 2011, the Government of India circulated an advisory mandating that all electricity consumers with certain minimum connected loads be deemed open access; their tariff cannot be determined by regulatory commissions. However, there are divergent interpretations of the provision of open access, with concomitant repercussions for smaller consumers.
