High Tension (HT) electricity consumers, who are mostly industries and institutions numbering more than 2,500 across the State, are in a crisis as the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation has not given extension in time to pay the current consumption charges.
The HT consumers pay the bill for monthly consumption and have automatic bill reading system.
Based on this, the bill is generated and the units get one week time from the billing date to pay the charges. After that there is 15 days time to pay with penalty. With most of the industries under lockdown since March 25, there were slight delays in providing the required details to Tangedco and hence there was a delay in generating the bill. But, the Tangedco has not given time for the industries to pay the charges, say the HT consumers here.
The Tamil Nadu Electricity Consumers’ Association said the Tangedco should give at least five months time to pay the March bill without any penalty.
On the Minimum Demand charges, the Association appealed to the State and Central Governments to extend 100 % waiver of the charges.
Several HT consumers have given letters to the respective Tangedco offices seeking disconnection during the lockdown period so that they do not have to pay the MD charges. “The industries are already under stress. And, the Tangedco is creating more stress to the industries,” said a HT consumer here.
The Souther India Mills' Association has made several representations to the State Government and the Tangedco. It pointed out that the Tangedco should give time to textile mills to pay the current consumption charges for March. It should also reduce the MD charges.
Several hostel workers are staying in the mill premises. They need minimum power supply for lighting.
Since this is an unprecedented situation, the Tangedco should waive the MD charges and should give time for the mills to pay the current consumption charges, it said.
The lockdown is announced by the Central and State Governments and not requested by the industries. Hence, the Tangedco cannot ask the electricity consumers to pay MD charges for the period when the industries are not in operation, say industry sources here.
