The Ministry of Power has published the draft Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Second Amendment Rules, 2023. These draft rules were published on December 14, 2023.
These rules state that on request of any owner or occupier of any premise in a Group Housing Society or Residential Colony or Resident Welfare Association, the distribution licensee shall provide individual connection for supply of electricity.
Where electricity is supplied through a single point connection, the tariff charged by such associations from the owner or occupier of any premise shall not exceed the retail tariff for that category of consumers.
However, in case of a single point connection, the Group Housing Society or Residential Colony or Resident Welfare Associations can charge additional amount. Such amount shall be towards cost incurred for providing electricity up to the premises of the individual consumer from single point connection. Such additional amount shall be only to the extent prescribed by the Appropriate Commission.
Furthermore, the draft rules also provide that the distribution licensee shall provide a separate connection for supply of electricity for Electric Vehicle (EV) charging system. This connection will be provided on request by individual consumer or Group Housing Society or Residential Colony or Resident Welfare Associations or other such registered associations.
The draft rules also state that the distribution licensee shall test meters within 30 days of receipt of complaint from the consumer. Such complaints include complaints that his meter readings are not in accordance with his consumption, stoppage of meter, damage to the seal, burning or damage of the meter, etc.
Moreover, where the consumer complains that his meter readings are not in accordance with his consumption the distribution licensee shall install an additional meter. This meter shall be installed within 3 days of the complaint to verify the consumption for a prescribed minimum period which shall not be less than 3 months.
Comments or suggestion on these draft rules have been invited up to January 12, 2024. The comments shall be in a word file and can be emailed to debranjan.chattopadhyay@nic.in and narendra.kumar65@nic.in
