New code to em(power) consumers
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 20
The state electricity board will have to ensure proper power supply, provide connections to consumers of various categories within a specified period and its officials will not be able to disconnect supply in an arbitrary manner after the implementation of the new Electricity Supply Code from the next financial year.

The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission has already notified the draft code for filing objections and suggestions, which will be received up to January 31. The final code will be notified after conducting a public hearing.

As per the code, the board will have to provide electricity connections to consumers from LT (low-tension) line within one month in case no extension of distribution mains or commissioning of a new substation is involved.

The period will extend to 45 or 60 days in case extension is required and up to a maximum of 120 days where a substation has to be provided.

Similarly, a temporary connection will have to be provided within seven days from the receipt of application in case no extension of distribution mains or commissioning of a substation is involved. In case of new or additional load, the licensee will have to seek approval of the commission for extension of period, if power availability clearance is likely to take more than 30 days. For shifting of a meter or service connection for feeding the same premises or for diversion of existing lines, time schedule will be 7 days (meter or service connection), 20 days (LT and HT lines) and 30 days (transformer).

As far as possible, the board will maintain supply in a frequency band from 49 Hz to 50.5 Hz, as stipulated in the grid code and not permit the frequency to vary by more than 3 per cent.

The voltage at the point of supply will remain within the prescribed limit of plus-minus 6 per cent for low tension, 6 per cent to -9 per cent for high tension and 10 per cent to -12.5 per cent for extra-high tension.

The board will be required to give a minimum of 15-day notice in writing for disconnecting the supply in case of non-payment of bill by the due date. Supply will not be disconnected if any sum is not recoverable as per the code. Further, the supply will not be disconnected on a day when the next day is a holiday, except in case of theft of power.

The consumers will be able to make advance payment of future bills on the format approved by the commission. The board will continue to issue bills that will indicate the amount adjusted and the balance amount of advance payment.