If you have got a power connection post June 25 this year, you might want to visit your nearest powerhouse station and get the power connection estimate re-evaluated, as the Uttar Pradesh power corporation limited (UPPCL) is set to refund the excess amount which they had charged under stock issue rate from new power consumers.
The decision was taken a day after the UP electricity regulatory commission (UPERC) served a notice on UPPCL chairperson and six MDs including five discoms under Section 142 of the Electricity Act, 2003 for charging extra from consumers for new connections.
In an order issued to all discoms, UPPCL chairperson M Devraj wrote, “Initiate the refund process to consumers with immediate effect and take departmental action against those who were involved in or made incorrect estimates.”
The progress on the refund and action against responsible must be intimated to the chairperson by October 5. On condition of anonymity, senior UPPCL engineers said, “The fault is at a higher level in UPPCL, but the burden of action is being pushed on junior level engineers. The corporation introduced an online software for ERP (enterprise resource planning) and not lower-level engineers. In the ERP, consumers were charged under the stock issue rate – which means the average, or the actual rate of the equipment used for a new power connection.”
Citing the reason behind the sudden decision to introduce stock issue rate, an engineer said, “The cost databook rate had not been revised since 2019 and every year the cost of the equipment such as transformers, poles, ACSR (aluminum conductor steel reinforced) dog conductor prices have risen, therefore it is possible the cost databook rate was removed.”
UP State Electricity Consumer Council chairperson and member of the state advisory committee Avadhesh Verma said, “Cost databook rate approved by the UPERC on July 8, 2019 is the base on which consumers are supposed to be charged for a new connection estimate, but on June 24, 2022 UPPCL introduced stock issue rate which was in gross violation of the norms of the commission.” He said, “UPPCL had sent a new cost databook rate for revision in April, but we had recommended a few changes and are waiting for their response. Once the new cost data book rate is approved by the commission, UPPCL will charge consumers based on it.”
