Power bill shocker: HC asks govt to file counter

While Tangedco attributes the increase in power bills to people spending 18 to 20 hours at home during the lockdown and asserts that its calculations are based on Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Codes and Regulations, the same was challenged at the Madras High Court on claims that faulty billing had led to Tangedco wrongfully enriching itself by Rs 900 crore from the people.

Petitioner ML Ravi, president of Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi, sought for the regeneration of the two bi-monthly bills based on units consumed in the previous month as one bi-monthly bill and the balance amount as another bi-monthly bill for all LT domestic users who have had bi-monthly consumption of under 500 units during the preceding three billing cycles.

A division bench, comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice R Hemalatha, directed the State to file its counter on the issue and posted the case for further hearing to July 8.

The petitioner said the consumers were asked to pay the same charges as in previous billing cycle and get the amount adjusted when the readings get recorded in May or June. But contrary to expectations, Tangedco divided the number of units recorded in May and June ‘equally’ into two resulting in customers shelling out more money.

He said before the lockdown he had consumed 480 units (Rs 4.60 per unit) and paid Rs 1,070. However, when the readings were recorded, it was found he had consumed 1,240 units. But, Tangedco divided them into two and considered him to have consumed 620 units (Rs 6.60 per unit) each during the last two billing cycles. Such equal division meant that he had crossed the ‘above 500 units’ slab during both the billing cycles. So, he was charged Rs 2,572 per billing while Tangedco should have charged him only for 480 units during the first billing cycle (when readings were not recorded) and 760 units in the next.