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Directives to PSEB
Section 61 of the Electricity Act, 2003 mandates on the Commission the function
of determination of tariff for electricity and also details factors which will
be kept in mind by the Commission while doing so. In pursuance of this mandate
of the Act, the Commission had issued certain directives in public interest
as part of its last three Tariff Orders. The Commission, therefore, views the
compliance of the directives as an essential part of the obligations of the
PSEB whereunder it recovers the tariffs approved by the Commission. The Commission
is, however, constrained to note that the PSEB has failed to comply with many
of the directives. Status of compliance of earlier directives has been discussed
in detail in Chapter 4. It is nonetheless necessary that a sincere attempt at
compliance with the directives must be demonstrated by the PSEB. The following
fresh directives are issued.
10.1 ENERGY AUDIT AND T&D LOSS REDUCTION
The Board is directed to carry out energy audit of all 11 KV and higher voltage
feeders supplying electricity to individual consumers. Energy audit is also
required to be carried out for all 33 KV and higher voltage feeders/lines and
grid substations. The energy audit needs to be carried out monthly and responsibility
fixed where there are major variations. Adequate steps should be taken to minimize
both technical and commercial losses. This would require immediate replacement
of defective/ dead stop/ tampered meters and intensive checking of consumers
to detect pilferage of energy. Employees conniving with the consumers need to
be penalised. The Board is directed to furnish status report on this directive
alongwith its ARR for the year 2006-07. (Reference para 4.1.4 of Chapter 4).
10.2 AGRICULTURAL CONSUMPTION
The Board is directed to ensure that final report from the Punjab Agriculture
University is received by July 31, 2005. The Board is also directed to co-relate
the results of energy audit of 11 KV feeders exclusively feeding AP consumers
with the results of sample meters. The Board will get the accuracy of all sample
meters checked and take remedial action to get the same replaced or recalibrated
wherever required. The Board shall also ensure that the sample meters are read
regularly and correctly. A copy of reports on the matter may be forwarded to
the Commission on quarterly basis. The Board is further directed to ensure that
supply hours to agricultural consumers are on the same pattern in the current
year as the last year both for kharif and rabi. (Reference para 7.1.3 of Chapter
7).
10.3 IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY OF SERVICE
The Board is directed to take appropriate steps to improve quality of service,
especially quality of supply to its consumers. The quality of power being supplied
to consumers, especially in the rural areas, needs substantial improvement.
Adequate steps need to be taken so that reliable, uninterrupted and quality
power is made available to the consumers for the maximum possible period. The
Board is further directed to submit action plan for gradual reduction of disparity
in quality of power supply amongst consumers of different categories especially
rural and urban consumers alongwith its next ARR for the year 2006-07. (Reference
para 4.1.8 of Chapter 4).
10.4 TWO PART TARIFF
The Board is directed to prepare a detailed and well considered proposal for
introduction of Two Part Tariff for Large Supply and Railway Traction categories
from the year 2006-07 and submit the same to the Commission within 3 months
of this order. (Reference para 8.1 of Chapter 8).
10.5 SCHEDULE OF GENERAL CHARGES
The Board is directed to submit detailed justification of charges being recovered
from the consumers as per Schedule of General Charges/Sales Regulations for
Supply of Energy to consumers. The detailed proposal should be submitted within
2 months of this order. (Reference para 8.14 of Chapter 8).
10.6 KVAH TARIFF
The Board is directed to carry out study for practicability of introducing
KVAH tariff for Large Supply, Medium Supply and Railway Traction consumers.
A copy of the study should be furnished to the Commission by the Board alongwith
its ARR for the year 2006-07. (Reference para 8.10 of Chapter 8).
10.7 HIGH VOLTAGE REBATE
The Board is directed to submit a comprehensive proposal bringing out all aspects
of allowing rebate to Large Supply consumers connected at 33 KV or higher voltage.
The proposal should also contain revenue implications and submitted alongwith
ARR for the year 2006-07. (Reference para 8.11 of Chapter 8).
10.8 METER RENTALS
The Board is directed to submit a detailed proposal for revision of rentals
for meter/metering equipment/MCB etc, rates of security deposit and cost recoverable
from the consumers in case of damage of meter. The proposal should be submitted
within 2 months of this order. (Reference para 8.5 of Chapter-8).
10.9 METERING PLAN
The Board is directed to prepare revised metering plan and take requisite action
to provide correct meters on all consumers to meet the requirement of Section
55 of Electricity Act, 2003 and within the extension of time granted by the
Commission under the provisions of the Act. Copy of the metering plan so prepared
may be supplied to the Commission alongwith next ARR. (Reference para 4.1.15
of Chapter 4).
10.10 EMPLOYEES COST
The Board is directed to take adequate steps so that employees cost during
the current year does not exceed the level approved by the Commission. (Reference
para 7.9 of Chapter-7).
10.11 GENERAL PROVIDENT FUND
The Board is directed to take adequate steps to open a separate General Provident
Fund Account. The new accretions in the General Provident Fund of the employees
should be deposited in this account. The Board is directed to furnish status
report alongwith its next ARR. (Reference para 8.8 of Chapter 8)
10.12 FIXED ASSETS REGISTER
The Board is directed to confirm completion of Fixed Assets Register within
6 months and ensure that these are updated regularly. The Board is directed
to furnish status report alongwith its next ARR. (Reference para 4.1.7 of Chapter
4).
10.13 RECEIVABLES
The Board is directed to take effective steps to reduce outstandings against
the consumers and furnish status report and age-wise analysis of the outstandings
alongwith next ARR for 2006-07. (Reference para 8.6 of Chapter 8).
10.14 MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (MIS)
A number of deficiencies are observed in the data submitted by the Board in
the ARR and replies furnished to various queries. The Board is directed to improve
its Management Information System to give consistent data with greater details
and explain basis for all the projections indicating sources of data and the
method of estimating projected values in the next filing.
10.15 ENERGY CONSERVATION
The Board is directed to take adequate steps so that benefits of energy conservation
are known to all categories of consumers and encourage them to adopt various
energy conservation measures and avoid wasteful use of energy. The Board is
also directed to take effective steps for installation of shunt capacitors by
all industrial, Railway Traction and tubewell consumers to improve power factor
of the system and thereby reduce T&D losses. The Board is directed to submit
time bound action plan in respect of tubewell consumers. The Board is further
directed to instal line capacitors and capacitor banks in the grid sub-stations
so that voltage profile also improves. The status report alongwith action plan
should be furnished with the next ARR.
10.16 SCHEME FOR ADVANCE PAYMENT OF ENERGY BILLS
The Board has already introduced the scheme for advance payment of energy bills
among certain categories of consumers such as DS, NRS, SP and AP. The Board
is directed to consider extending the scheme to MS and LS categories of consumers
presently not covered. Response of Public needs to be assessed. The same alongwith
status of the scheme be intimated by the Board to the Commission alongwith its
next ARR.
10.17 ISSUE OF COMMERCIAL CIRCULARS
The Board is directed not to issue, without prior approval of the Commission,
any commercial circular.
10.18 ARR/TARIFF PETITION FILING
The Board is directed to submit its next ARR/Tariff filing for the year 2006-07
to the Commission by November 30, 2005 to enable the Commission to issue Tariff
Order before March 31, 2006. The Commission hopes that the Board will be taking
effective steps to ensure compliance of the above directives. This order is
signed and issued by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission on this
the 14th day of June, 2005. DATE : JUNE 14, 2005 PLACE : CHANDIGARH
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| H.C. SOOD |
BALJIT BAINS |
R.S. MANN |
| MEMBER |
MEMBER |
CHAIRMAN |
CERTIFIED -sd- AJANTA DAYALAN SECRETARY PUNJAB STATE ELECTRICITY REGULATORY
COMMISSION CHANDIGARH |