NEW DELHI: The much delayed Delhi Electricity Supply Code and Performance Standard Regulations, 2010, are likely to be notified by the regulator by September-end. While announcing the revised tariff for financial year 2012-13 late last month, Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission had listed the supply code regulations as a consumer-friendly initiative. DERC said they would be notified within three months.
At the public hearing for the performance code regulations in May, suggestions were made to make discoms accountable, some of which have been incorporated in the new proposal. “There was a lot of dissatisfaction on account of delays in getting new connections and testing of meters. Power thefts were another sore point. The new supply code will allow for penalizing of discoms. We will make efforts to reduce consumer harassment. Accordingly, we have revised the provisions and brought in more clarity and transparency in the system,” said a senior official.
The penalties range from Rs 10 to Rs 500 per day depending on the lapse and nature of problem. These will have to be adjusted against consumers’ bills but not later than 90 days from the date of violation of a guaranteed standard.
Discoms have to provide a new connection within 30 days of receiving the application or pay Rs 10 per Rs 1,000 of the demand charges deposited by the consumer for each day of default.
However, there are some sticking points. DERC has clarified that while non-compliance of the regulations will be considered a violation, discoms cannot be penalized and will not be liable to pay any compensation if the violation is due to failure on the part of a state or central transmission utility, a fault in the transmission licensee’s network, or on account of instructions given by the state load dispatch centre.
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