Officials under pressure not to meter farm supply

As per the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission, FSA for the agricultural sector is transferred to other sectors as agricultural supply is not yet completely metered. Transco officials meanwhile sug- gest that farmers are against metering and agitate as they fear being charged for power. The project was unsuccessful even with the metering at the transformer level.

In fact, the issue of cost of power supplied to the agricultural sector, arrears and several other prior period components cropped up several times in the APERC hearings. The APERC has clearly turned down the arguments, specifying in the tariff document: “The FSA as worked out will be distributed among all categories of consumers that existed in the quarter. However, the consumption by the agricultural sector will be excluded till the Commission is satisfied that metering of agricultural consumption is complete. The Commission is satisfied with the ground reality that metering of agricultural consumption has not taken place fully.”

Insiders indicate that discoms have not completed the metering project due to huge pilferage of power which will get arrested in case of metering of agricultural supply. “Power is sold at high prices to industries and other commercial ventures. Metering of agricul- tural supply could not be completed due to corruption as commercial ventures to which free power is being diverted is owned by politically influential people. Officials received threats to life when they have tried installing meters and hence the scheme is stuck,” said an insider.