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New Delhi: For the first time recognising ‘prosumers’ as the emerging category of consumers and “important stakeholders”, Union Power Ministry has drafted rules providing for rights of electricity consumers. Calling it a historic pro-consumer move, the ministry on Wednesday introduced a draft Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020 and invited suggestions from the public by September 30.
The new rules, the ministry stated on Wednesday, focussed on consumer satisfaction and proposed simplified procedure for electricity connection such as requirement of only 2 documents for connection up to load of 10 kw, and 2 to 5% rebate on serving bills with delay of sixty days or more.
“Electricity Consumers are the most important stakeholders in the power sector. The sector exists because of them. Having provided access to electricity to all citizens, it is now important to focus on consumer satisfaction. For this, it is imperative to identify the key services, prescribe minimum service levels and standards with respect to these services and recognize them as rights of consumers,” the ministry stated.
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The main features of the proposals are:
- Reliability of service: SERCs to fix average number and duration of outages per consumer per year for DISCOMs.
- Timely and simplified procedure for connection: Only two documents for connection up to load of 10 kw and no estimation of demand charges for loads up to 150 kw to expedite giving connection.
- Time period of not more than 7 days in metro cities, 15 days in other municipal areas and 30 days in rural areas, to provide new connection and modify existing connection.
- 2 to 5% rebate on serving bills with delay of sixty days or more.
- Option to pay bills in cash, cheque, debit cards, net banking etc but bills of Rs. 1000 or more to be paid online.
- Provisions related to disconnection, reconnection, meter replacement, billing, payment, etc.
- Recognition to the emerging category of consumers known as “Prosumers”. Persons who are consumers and have also set up a rooftop units or solarised their irrigation pumps. They will have right to produce electricity for self-use and inject excess in the grid using same point of connection up to limits prescribed by the SERC.
- Compensation / penalties for delay in service by DISCOMs; compensation to be automatic as far as possible, to be passed on in the bill.
- 24×7 toll free call centre, web-based and mobile applications for common services like new connection, disconnection, reconnection, shifting of connection, change in name and particulars, load change, replacement of meter, no supply, etc with facilities for sms/email alerts, online status tracking and auto escalation.
- Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum with 2-3 representatives of consumers at various levels starting from Sub-division for ease of consumer grievance redressal.
Draft Rules have already been circulated by Ministry of Power for seeking comments/views/suggestions of Consumers up to September 30, 2020. They shall be finalized after taking into account all the suggestions received and issued, the ministry stated.
Click here to see PDF on draft Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020
– globalbihari bureau
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