TNERC should implement Electricity Rules at the earliest: Activist

CHENNAI: The Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020 offers consumers the right to a minimum standard of service for the supply of electricity, including an automatic compensation mechanism.

But, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has not taken steps to implement the consumer-friendly rules even after 21 months since the rules were published by the Central government in gazette.

According to the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, an automatic compensation mechanism will be put in place. The distribution licensee has to automatically pay compensation to the consumer if the power supply was not restored beyond a particular duration as set by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The compensation should be paid for various delays, including a number of interruptions in supply beyond set limits, time taken for connection, disconnection, reconnection, shifting and time taken for replacement of defective meters.

In a petition to the TNERC, S Neelakanta Pillai, founder of the Citizen’s Contribution in Democracy, said that even after 21 months from the date of principal rule 2020 published in the Gazette of India, the TNERC has not taken any initiative to make suitable amendments in the necessary code/regulation in accordance with the principal rule 2020 and subsequent amendment rules 2021 and 2022.

He said that the new rules put the onus on changing the defective or burnt meter with the distribution licensee within a stipulated time period. “As per the existing rules in the Tangedco, consumers should pay for the burnt meters for replacing it.

But, in the new rules, the burnt meter would be replaced first. If the fault was established, the consumer would be charged subsequently,” he said.

Neelakantapillai said that if a consumer files a physical application for a new service connection, the Tangedco officials will direct them to file an online copy.

“For filing an online application, the consumers are being charged Rs 750 at the computer centres. But, in the new rules, the utility official has to accept the hard copy and scan and upload the same. A registration number should be issued in 24 hours time,” he said. He urged the TNERC to take steps to implement the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules at the earliest to protect the consumer interest.