Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Aug 29: Taking strong objection to the non-serious attitude of the State Power Development Department towards compliance of the directives issued to it, the Jammu and Kashmir State Electricity Regulatory Commission has warned punitive action against the PDD for its inaction and reiterated the instructions on hundred percent metering as well as other measures for improving service quality of the utility.
In its order on True-Up for the Financial Year 2013-14, Annual Performance Review for the FY 2014-15 and Determination of APR and Tariff for FY 2015-16 for the J&K Power Development Department (Distribution), the Regulatory Commission has asked the PDD to set new deadline for achieving 100 percent metering and ensure that supply of electricity to unmetered consumers beyond the stipulated date would be illegal.
“Take all possible measures to adhere to the timeline for achieving 100 percent metering in the State and also to take note of the fact that supply of electricity to unmetered consumers beyond the stipulated date would be illegal in terms of provision of Section 49 (1) of the J&K Electricity Act 2010,” JKSERC said.
While pointing out towards serious deviation from the mandate given by the State Legislature for completion of metering within a period of two years from the date of notification of the J&K Electricity Act 2010, the Commission has also asked PDD to place the fact before the State Legislature for ratification of the extended dead line on achieving 100 percent metering in J&K.
“As 100 percent compliant metering holds key for introducing power reforms in the State in general and more specifically in reduction of extremely high losses, any further delay in achieving the target shall not be in the interest of the State, Utility or the consumers,” the Commission observed.
In its comprehensive order, the JKSERC has directed the PDD (D) to comply with 28 directives, which include fast-tracking the implementation of R-APDRP, making load shedding available in public domain in advance, recovery of arrears, submission of audited accounts, TOD Tariff, compliance to Renewable Purchase Obligation, submission of Demand Side Management Plan, cost of supply studies, Power System Reliability, progress report on unbundling, setting up of CGRF, etc.
In order to provide a forum to the consumers for redressal of their grievances and to bring in efficiency and transparency in the system, the Commission has once again directed the PDD (D) to establish Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum (CGRF) as per the provisions of Section 36 (5) of the Act and also establish Coordination Forum as well as District Committees as per the provisions of Section 128 of the Act. “As per Section 36(5) of the J&K Electricity Act 2010, the Utility is required to establish a forum for redressal of grievances of the consumers within six months of the commencement of the Act, More than five years have passed but the CGRF is yet to be established,” observed the Commission, which had notified the regulations for the purpose of establishment of CGRF in the year 2010, which were subsequently updated in 2012.
Pertinent to mention that J&K is perhaps the only State in the country where the institutions of CGRF and Ombudsman have not been established so far and therefore no independent forum as envisaged in the Act is available for redressal of the grievances of the consumers, who are left totally at the mercy of PDD.
Regarding the power curtailment, the Commission has directed the PDD to make details of load shedding available in public domain in advance and also submit to the JKSERC a Load Generation Balance Report on power procurement planning based on actual hours of supply made to the consumers. “Upload circle wise/feeder wise T&D loss data with other relevant details on PDD website and report compliance in the Multi Year Tariff petition of the next year,” directs the Commission.
Further, the Commission has suggested the PDD that it may develop a transparent mechanism for linking the load curtailment in an area to the proportion of the level of the losses in the area. For this purpose, the Utility shall notify details of the energy inputs, energy billed and revenue collected on each feeder on a monthly basis, the Commission explained and added that similar exercise was done in Maharashtra with positive results.
Taking strong objection to the PDD failure in setting up special cell to attend to regulatory affairs and monitor implementation of its directions, the Commission has warned punitive measures against the Department under Section 102 and 106 of the J&K Electricity Act 2010 for its inaction.
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