UPERC proposes compensation for poor service

LUCKNOW : The UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has proposed new standards of performance (SOPs) for discoms that will be liable to pay a fine to consumers if they fail to deliver a service within a time frame or a consumer suffers due to poor quality of service, like high or low voltage.

“We have published the draft SOPs for the discoms inviting comments from stakeholders,” UPERC chairman RP Singh said, adding, “Now, the commission has made a provision for compensation to be paid by discoms to consumers for any deficient service.”

As per the draft regulations, discoms will be liable to pay Rs 100 per day to consumers in the event of no-correction of voltage fluctuations, Rs 250 per day in case of low voltage due to requirement of a new substation, Rs 50 per day for defective meter, Rs 150 per day in case of a transformer failure etc.

The regulations are expected to be effective from mid-November. The regulations will be called the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (Standards of Performance) Regulations, 2019.

They will provide the detailed mechanism of handling complaints and giving compensation.

Welcoming the proposed rules, UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad president Awadhesh Kumar Verma said, “The new law will keep a check on the arbitrary working of discoms and help consumers get better services in a time-bound manner.”

Meanwhile, the UPERC on Wednesday put up on its website the modified draft Open Access Regulations, inviting comments from the stakeholders within a period of 20 days.