The Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd (TSSPDCL) has assured the power consumers that the bills being generated based on actual data now are in tune with the method approved by the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TSERC) have no scope for any mischief, irregularity or inflation.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Chairman and Managing Director of TSSPDCL G. Raghuma Reddy said an average of 40% domestic consumers did not pay bill in March, April and May due to the lockdown conditions and the bills generated and issued now were based on the average of three months’ actual consumption. the complaints of consumers that the bills issued now were highly inflated, he said there was no truth in it since consumption during summer season would always be high compared to other seasons and this year it was much higher due to lockdown conditions with many people restricted to their homes. Giving last year’s example, the TSSPDCL-CMD said against the average consumption of 146 units a month by domestic consumers during March-May period against 107 units before with an increase of about 37%. On the payment of domestic bills he said it was 67% in March, 44% in April and 68% in May with an average of about 60% for the three months. “It means that about 40% of consumers have not paid their bills during the last three months and the bills issued now would naturally appear huge,” Mr. Reddy said.
Stating that billing done by the Discom was 100% fair and genuine in tune with the Electricity Regulatory Commission orders issued in April and May, he said they could be rest assured that the discrepancies, if any, would be rectified.
To a question that the consumers would be at loss if their consumption was within 200 units in March and more than 300 units in April and May, Mr. Raghuma Reddy said there was no scope of such month-wise analysis as the method devised was the best possible way out in the absence of actual data collection in April and May.
On payment to meter readers for non-working period of April and May, the CMD said they had decided to pay 50% of their regular earnings, although their services were outsourced and not engaged directly by the Discom.
