(1) The Central Government may notify any Government company as the Central Transmission Utility:
Provided that the Central Transmission Utility shall not engage in the business of generation of electricity or trading in electricity:
Provided further that the Central Government may transfer, and vest any property, interest in property, rights and liabilities connected with, and personnel involved in transmission of electricity of such Central Transmission Utility, to a company or companies to be incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) to function as a transmission licensee, through a transfer scheme to be effected in the manner specified under Part XIII and such company or companies shall be deemed to be transmission licensees under this Act.
(2) The functions of the Central Transmission Utility shall be--
(a) to undertake transmission of electricity through inter-State transmission system;
(b) to discharge all functions of planning and co-ordination relating to inter-State transmission system with--
(i) State Transmission Utilities;
(ii) Central Government;
(iii) State Governments;
(iv) generating companies;
(v) Regional Power Committees;
(vi) Authority;
(vii) licensees;
(viii) any other person notified by the Central Government in this behalf;
(c) to ensure development of an efficient, co-ordinated and economical system of inter-State transmission lines for smooth flow of electricity from generating stations to the load centres;
(d) to provide non-discriminatory open access to its transmission system for use by--
(i) any licensee or generating company on payment of the transmission charges; or
(ii) any consumer as and when such open access is provided by the State Commission under sub-section (2) of section 42, on payment of the transmission charges and a surcharge thereon, as may be specified by the Central Commission:
Provided that such surcharge shall be utilised for the purpose of meeting the requirement of current level cross-subsidy:
Provided further that such surcharge and cross subsidies shall be progressively reduced *** in the manner as may be specified by the Central Commission:
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Provided also that the manner of payment and utilisation of the surcharge shall be specified by the Central Commission:
Provided also that such surcharge shall not be leviable in case open access is provided to a person who has established a captive generating plant for carrying the electricity to the destination of his own use.