Discoms’ woes are piling up in Haryana

It has been observed that in the case of UHBVNL, as many as 385 DTs were damaged.
DP correspondent

Chandigarh

The power distribution companies or discoms—Uttar Haryana Bijli Nigam Limited (UHBVNL) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (DHBVNL)—in Haryana are incurring huge financial losses on account of management’s callous attitude in managing the preventable losses. The companies suffered huge losses as the officials do not pay attention to the working conditions of distribution transformers (DTs) and the remedies available in case there is any default with them.

In accordance with the terms and conditions of purchase order, the suppliers are required to lift the DTs at their own cost if these are damaged within warranty period and would be returned back in 45 days. It has been observed that discoms did not have effective mechanism for timely repair or return of DTs as 438 DTs—184 in UHBVNL and 254 in DHBVNL—damaged within the warranty period and lifted by suppliers, were not returned even after a year and no action was taken by the discoms in this regard. Abnormal delay in repair and return of DTs by suppliers is detrimental to the financial interest of discoms as the DTs remained out of the use for longer period and warranty period is reduced to that extent.

“It has been observed that in the case of UHBVNL, as many as 385 DTs were damaged within warranty period during March 2002 to September 2007 and were lying in the divisional store at Sonepat,” said sources in the Department of Power. “The suppliers of these transformers did not lift these within the prescribed period of 45 days as per terms and conditions of the purchase orders. The company also failed to get the transformers repaired at risk and cost of the suppliers. These transformers were destroyed in a fire on October 7, 2007. This caused loss of Rs 1.85 crore to the company,” they added. The discoms in Haryana are also incurring huge commercial losses relating to consumer metering and billing besides the pilferage of energy. The Central government had stressed a decade ago in February 2001 the need to adopt low tension (LT) less system of distribution through replacement of existing LT lines by high tension (HT) lines to reduce the distribution losses. The National Electricity Policy, 2005 has recommended that high voltage distribution system (HVDS) should be promoted to improve HT and LT ratio keeping in view the techno-economic consideration.

“HVDS is an effective method of reduction of technical losses, improved voltage profile and better consumer service. Ideally, the ratio should remain at 1:1 for effective loss reduction programme. Though there was an improvement in HT and LT ratio during 2009-2010 and 2010-201 mainly due to implementation HVDS in four operation circles including Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal and Rohtak under UHBVNL and three operation circles-Hisar, Sirsa and Narnaul in DHBVNL circle, the overall HT and LT ratio was not balanced among 30 divisions of UHBVNL as there were wide variations in divisions and HT and LT ratio varied between.34:1 and 2.95:1 among the divisions,” added the sources.