Contract & connect
Contract & Connect: PPA Finalisation, Open-Access Clearances and Commissioning Sign-off
This final step converts a selected bid into a bankable, grid-connected asset. We negotiate the PPA and ancillary agreements, manage open-access and connectivity applications with the DISCOM/STU/CTU, and coordinate commissioning milestones between the developer, transmission utility and offtaker so that power actually starts flowing on the agreed date.
Typical duration · 10-16 weeks (parallel-tracked with EPC construction schedule)
Samples generated 05 Sept 2026, 11:27 pm ISTWhat happens in this step
- 01Review and redline the PPA, connection agreement and any O&M/energy-storage services agreement against term sheet and regulatory templates
- 02Negotiate tariff structuring, curtailment/deviation clauses, change-in-law protections, termination payments and step-in rights with legal counsel
- 03Prepare and file open-access applications (long-term/medium-term/short-term as applicable) with the nodal agency, STU and DISCOM, tracking approval timelines
- 04Coordinate connectivity studies, metering scheme approval and protection-coordination sign-off with the transmission utility
- 05Align commissioning test schedules (grid interconnection, reliability run, PPA effective date) across developer, EPC, utility and offtaker
- 06Monitor conditions-precedent checklist for PPA effectiveness and financial closure triggers
- 07Support first-bill reconciliation and handover of the executed contract package to the client's asset-management team
What we need from you
- Selected bidder's draft PPA / SPA and term sheet from the competitive process
- Site single-line diagram and interconnection voltage level
- DISCOM/STU open-access regulations and current application formats
- EPC construction schedule with expected COD window
- Metering and communication architecture (RTU/SCADA points list)
- Offtaker's credit and guarantee documentation for CP tracking
- Any existing group captive/third-party sale structuring requirements
Worked example (anonymised, illustrative)
30 MW Open-Access Solar Project for an Industrial Offtaker Group · 30 MWac / 40 MWp, group captive structure · Southern India, 33 kV DISCOM network
Illustrative project: solar IPP supplying five industrial offtakers under a group-captive PPA, requiring simultaneous open-access approval and DISCOM interconnection sign-off ahead of a Q1 commissioning window.
Sample deliverables from this step
Every sample below is analyst-written and anonymised for illustration — structure and depth mirror our real deliverables; figures and names are not from any client engagement.
Illustrative · Growthifye-preparedNegotiated PPA & Term Sheet Summary
Clause-by-clause negotiation record comparing initial draft, counter-positions and final agreed terms, with rationale for each material change.
Sample excerpt · Key PPA Terms - Before/After Negotiation — illustrative figures
| Clause | Initial Draft | Negotiated Position | Status |
| Tariff escalation | Fixed, no escalation | Fixed for 10 yrs, CPI-linked review yr 11-25 | Agreed |
| Curtailment compensation | Nil | Deemed generation up to 10%/yr | Agreed |
| Change-in-law | Developer bears full risk | Pass-through with cap at 5% tariff impact | Agreed |
| Termination payment | Book value only | Book value + 12-month revenue buffer | Under review |
| Guarantee/security | Bank guarantee 5% PPA value | Bank guarantee 3% + parent comfort letter | Agreed |
- Final version reviewed by client's legal counsel before execution
- Escalation and curtailment terms benchmarked against 6 comparable regional PPAs signed in the last 18 months
Illustrative · Growthifye-preparedOpen Access Application & Approval Tracker
Consolidated filing package and live status tracker for connectivity, long-term access and metering approvals across STU/DISCOM.
Sample excerpt · Open Access Approval Tracker — illustrative figures
| Approval Item | Authority | Filed Date | Target Approval | Status |
| Connectivity application | STU | Week 1 | Week 6 | Approved |
| Long-term open access | DISCOM Nodal Cell | Week 2 | Week 8 | In process |
| Metering scheme approval | DISCOM Metering Wing | Week 3 | Week 7 | Approved |
| Protection coordination study | CTU/STU Joint Cell | Week 4 | Week 9 | In process |
| No-objection for evacuation line | Forest/Revenue Dept (if applicable) | Week 2 | Week 10 | Not required |
- Tracker updated weekly and shared with client and EPC contractor
- Escalation matrix maintained for delays beyond regulatory timelines
Interconnection Single-Line Diagram (Compliance Copy)
As-approved SLD showing metering points, protection relays and interconnection voltage level as cleared by the DISCOM/STU for commissioning.
Sample excerpt · SLD Equipment Schedule (Extract) — illustrative figures
| Equipment | Rating | Location | Approval Ref |
| Interconnection transformer | 33/11 kV, 32 MVA | Substation bay 2 | STU-Conn-0417 |
| Main metering unit | Class 0.2S, bidirectional | Metering kiosk | DISCOM-Met-0912 |
| Protection relay set | Numerical, IEC 61850 | Control room panel | STU-Prot-0221 |
| Communication link | OPGW/RTU | Grid interface point | STU-Comm-0118 |
- Drawing aligned with EPC as-built documentation
- Used as reference during joint commissioning walkdown
Commissioning Coordination Plan
Milestone schedule aligning grid interconnection tests, reliability run and PPA effective date across all stakeholders.
Sample excerpt · Commissioning Milestone Schedule — illustrative figures
| Milestone | Responsible Party | Target Date | Dependency |
| Mechanical completion | EPC contractor | Day 0 | Equipment delivery complete |
| Grid interconnection test | Developer + DISCOM | Day 7 | Metering approval in place |
| 72-hour reliability run | Developer + Utility | Day 10 | Successful interconnection test |
| COD certificate issuance | DISCOM/STU | Day 14 | Reliability run passed |
| PPA effective date | Developer + Offtaker | Day 15 | COD certificate received |
- Plan shared in weekly coordination calls with all parties
- Contingency buffer of 5 working days built in for utility scheduling delays
Outcomes
- Fully executed, bankable PPA with negotiated risk allocation acceptable to both developer and offtaker
- Open-access and connectivity approvals secured within the project's construction timeline
- Coordinated commissioning avoiding revenue-start delays and grid non-compliance penalties
- Clean handover package (contracts, approvals, SLDs) ready for asset management and lender due diligence
Questions clients ask
How long does open-access approval typically take in India?
Timelines vary by state, but connectivity and long-term access approvals typically take 6-10 weeks if applications are complete and filed early alongside connectivity studies.
Do you handle legal drafting of the PPA yourself?
We work alongside the client's legal counsel, providing technical and commercial negotiation support, clause benchmarking and redline recommendations; final legal sign-off remains with qualified counsel.
What happens if commissioning is delayed beyond the PPA's scheduled COD?
We help clients evaluate liquidated damages exposure, request COD extensions where technically justified, and coordinate revised test schedules with the utility to minimise revenue loss.
