Discoms launch 24-point plan to cut down power losses

More than a year after a financial bailout by the government, losses in power transmission and distribution continue to pose a stiff challenge for discoms in Rajasthan.

To overcome the challenge, discoms have launched a 24-point plan to reduce transmission and distribution losses in a phase-wise manner.

The plan involves regular repair and maintenance and ensuring appointment of a feeder in-charge in each of the 19, 000 feeders in the state.

The feeder in-charge will bring any disproportionate loss to the attention of the vigilance department which would conduct surprise inspections.

The department aims to reduce transmission and distribution losses to 22% from the current 27%, of which power theft is a major component.

In November 2015, the government launched Uday scheme, a financial turnaround and revival package to bail out the loss-making discoms but at the same time set stiff targets for reducing of power transmission and distribution losses.

Out of the 3.09 lakh units checked in 2016, more than 1.67 lakh or 54% of thefts were detected as compared to 51% in 2015.

While discom officials attribute the increasing number of theft detection cases to increase in inspections carried out by the vigilance wing, the department has felt a need to carry out a systematic campaign to check power thefts.

Discoms chairman Shreemat Pandey said the phase-wise loss reduction programme was aimed at reducing transmission and distribution losses including power thefts.

Each percentage reduction in distribution and transmission loss would mean revenue of ₹400 crore to power companies.

The recent protest against power tariff hike in agriculture sector, however, has led to the government announcing some lenient steps to placate farmers.

The penalty for farmers ,which they have to pay for tampering metres has been reduced from a maximum of four months to two months.