Latest news with #OERC
New Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
OERC slaps case on Tata Power over lapses in services
BHUBANESWAR : The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has initiated a suo motu case against Tata Power-managed power distribution companies (discoms) over alleged deficiencies in consumer services in the state. The hearing on the matter has been scheduled for July 15. Citing a series of lapses by the four Tata Power-operated discoms, TPCODL, TPWODL, TPSODL and TPNODL, director (regulatory affairs of OERC) Priyabrat Patnaik has accused them of failing to uphold their licence obligations under the Electricity Act, 2003 and various OERC regulations, including the OERC (Condition of Supply) Code, 2019 and OERC (Standard of Performance) Regulation, 2004. According to Section 43 of the Electricity Act, 2003, a licensee is bound to provide electricity to an applicant within one month of receiving a valid application. The OERC Supply Code also mandates that the licensee must upgrade and extend its distribution infrastructure to meet growing electricity demands. The cost of upgrades are to be recovered from consumers via tariff proposals by submitting the annual revenue requirements (ARR) before the Commission. The petition by Patnaik stated OERC has received several complaints from consumers that the discoms are violating these provisions and licensees are prioritising financial considerations over infrastructure obligations by assessing the remunerativeness of new connections without accounting for projected load growth in underserved areas. New applicants, especially those seeking single-phase connections, are reportedly being forced to bear the cost of transformer installations or upgradation, which, the petition said, is against regulatory mandates. 'Temporary power supply and new connections are now at the mercy of the section officials of the discoms,' it said. Instances of mismanagement have also been flagged, including unreliable power supply, unmaintained infrastructure and poor consumer grievance redressal mechanisms. 'The lines and substations are not maintained properly and in many places creepers and tree branches are touching the HT lines leading to low and fluctuating voltage,' the petition stated. Earlier, deputy chief minister and Energy minister KV Singh Deo had asked principal secretary Vishal Kumar Dev to examine the allegations made by former OERC member BC Jena on declining service quality under the Tata Power regime, and take appropriate action. Dev had also shot off a letter to the Tata Power CEO and MD on several issues regarding functioning of the discoms in the state.
New Indian Express
12-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission directs Tata Power to prioritise feeder metering
BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Tata Power-owned distribution companies are persuading domestic consumers to install smart meters, the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has asked the utilities to give priority on metering of distribution transformers and feeder lines instead, and report the progress in every quarter. The directive of the commission to the four distribution companies - TPCODL, TPSODL, TPNODL and TPWODL - came during a recent review of their performance in reduction of distribution and transmission loss and measures taken by the discoms to address consumer complaints on unscheduled power cuts and frequent disruption in power supply. It has come to the notice of OERC that metering of distribution transformers (DT), 33 kV and 11 kV feeder lines are progressing at an abysmally slow pace. As such metering allows for precise measurement of energy flow from feeders to consumers, facilitating accurate energy auditing and billing, the discoms do not want to provide insight into issues like low voltage, low power factor and voltage fluctuations. The power distribution business is a joint venture between Tata Power with 51 per cent stake and the state government has 49 per cent share. The distribution utilities are pressing the government to allow them to install smart meter under capital expenditure (Capex) route to pass on the meter rent to the consumers through tariff.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Govt assures uninterrupted power supply in summer
Bhubaneswar: Govt on Tuesday announced that there will be no power cuts during the summer. Deputy chief minister K V Singh Deo said even if people fail to pay the pending dues, power won't be disconnected. The decision comes after discussion and coordination with power distribution companies to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply to 1.3 crore consumers. "Even when the assembly was on, we assured that for non-payment of dues, we will not disconnect power supply. But that doesn't mean they don't have to pay power bills. If there is a power cut because of a storm and nor'wester, we are restoring electricity quickly," Singh Deo told the media. With temperatures soaring beyond 40°C in most districts, more so in western districts, frequent power outages can lead to summer woes, drinking water shortages, dehydration, and fatigue. In view of this, govt has been emphasising uninterrupted power supply at least till the end of June, officials said. In a recently written reply in the assembly, Singh Deo said, citing Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) data, that after Tata Power took over distribution, the state's electricity transmission reduced and distribution loss from 22.38% in the fiscal year 2019-20 to 21.58% in 2023-24. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One Simple Spray = Sharper, Clearer Sound in Seconds Stop Hearing Loss Learn More Undo In the past five years, the govt collected a fine of Rs 457.49 crore from unauthorised electricity use across the state. Rabi Behera, convener of the Odisha State Power Consumer Association, welcomed the state's move to ensure uninterrupted power supply in summer but cautioned that it shouldn't be mere lip service. "We welcome the assurance being given by the Deputy CM and the energy minister. But, in towns and the capital city as well, we are experiencing unscheduled power cuts. We hope that barring power cuts during maintenance, there shouldn't be unscheduled cuts as that will be a big relief for people," Behera said.
