OERC directs CESU to disconnect defaulting consumers

Bhubaneswar, Aug 06 (UNI) Expressing concern over largescale arrear of electricity dues, the Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) today directed the Central Electrical Supply Utility(CESU) to launch a disconnection drive against all defaulter Commercial and Public Lighting categories of consumers.

While reviewing the performance of CESU for 2007-08 and first quarter of 2008-09 here yesterday the Commission desired for further improvement of revenue collection and improved maintenance of distribution system.

The CESU has a consumer strength of 10,26,225 consumers but in respect of billing and collection out of 120.3 crore billed for LT category during the first quarter of 2008-09, CESU was able to collect only Rs 93.66 crore leading to accumulation of arrear amounting to Rs nine crore per month mostly from residential consumers.

Sources said poor revenue collection was also one of the factors for which CESU was not able to maintain its system up to the desired level. The Commission expressed its concern as CESU failed to collect Rs 8.58 crore from Commercial and Public Lighting category comprising of around 89,000 consumers only.

The OERC directed CESU to launch a disconnection drive against LT General (Commercial) and Public Lighting category of consumers in the first phase. The money must be collected or line should be disconnected before August 31 next.

It further said a report indicating either collection of arrear or disconnection of power supply to the defaulting consumers should reach the Commission early before the expiry of the deadline.

On the issue of high level of transmission and distribution loss to the tune of 41.5 per cent, the CESU presented models of pillar boxes for group metering but regretted that consumers in Dhenkanal area were consistently damaging these pillar boxes.

The Commission directed that appropriate legal and police action, including disconnection of power supply, be taken in this regard.

While reviewing the Commission directed that there should be clear cut responsibility and accountability for the Engineering and Finance staff for collection of revenue and maintenance of service as per the specified standards.

It also directed that all the distribution substations shall be provided with Switchgear and proper protection arrangement so that 100 per cent target is achieved during the next five years.

Pillar Box metering should also be expedited for loss reduction and energy accounting, consumer indexing and distribution wise loss assessment should be carried out on urgent basis, the OERC said.

UNI DP SJC RN1930