The Hindu : New Delhi News : BSES pulled up for dismal power situation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 28, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

BSES pulled up for dismal power situation

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MAY 27. The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has pulled up the power distribution company BSES for the deteriorating power situation in areas under its control for the past two years including South, East, Central and South-West Delhi.

Having found BSES responsible for not investing enough in improving the infrastructure and power distribution network, the DERC in an order on May 25 directed the discom to complete as many as 19 power projects by mid-July and has set up a Special Monitoring Group to ensure timely completion of these project.

As for providing immediate relief to residents of areas that are experiencing long hours of load-shedding, the DERC Chairman, V. K. Sood, directed BSES to provide electricity by installing generators. However, senior officials of the Power Grid, Central Electricity Authority, Union Power Ministry and National Thermal Power Corporation have termed the DERC order non-feasible and impractical.

In its order, DERC directed BSES to install generators in residential areas experiencing regular tripping like Alaknanda, Lajpat Nagar, Tughlakabad, Okhla, South Extension, Janakpuri and Dwarka. However the use of term "wherever feasible" tended to indicate that the DERC was trying to give an escape route to BSES, experts observed. "This has raised several questions. Nowhere in the world has any power regulator given such an order. It would take at least two months for BSES to place orders, procure and install generators at these places. These generators would also result in large-scale noise pollution. The massive investment would also have an impact on power tariff in the Capital," experts said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior BSES official conceded that it would be difficult for them to install generators to provide immediate relief in the residential areas. The DERC also asked discom to set up System Operation Study Group for carrying out operational studies and to identify works along with Transco to overcome the weakness in the distribution system.

Though DERC had sought an explanation on the power situation from both BSES and the North Delhi Power Limited, the regulatory body was apparently satisfied with the performance of the NDPL and as such did not issue any directive to it.

Based on response from the public, media reports and feedback from the discoms, the DERC observed that the power situation was very bad in several parts of BSES area like Lodi Road, Defence Colony, South Extension, Nizamuddin, Lajpat Nagar, Shastri Park and Kailash Nagar. "The trippings have not only been unscheduled, but have been for long durations causing distress to the consumers," it said.

The Commission was of the view that the situation was mainly because of a significant fall in the capital expenditure, which was 19 per cent of the total expenditure sanctioned by the DERC. "As a result, repair and maintenance work is not that effective," it said.

"To make matter worse, BSES business managers are generally inaccessible giving rise to frustration among the consumers," the order said. Very often the complaint centres do not have correct information regarding the nature of fault and duration of power cut.

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