STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES

Standards of performance of electricity distribution companies
(Special reference to Andhra Pradesh State)
The distribution company is required to main standards of performance for all consumers in the manner prescribed hereunder. The limits prescribed refer to the maximum time required to be taken to perform different activities of consumer service. It shall be the endeavor of the distribution companies to provide best possible service well within time limits specified under these regulations. The Distribution Companies shall register every complaint of a consumer regarding failure of power supply, quality of power supply, meters and payment of bills and intimate the complainant his number of complaint.
1. Restoration of power supply; The licensee shall restore power supply in the case of normal fuse of calls ( replacing HG fuses or LT fuses at all the distribution transformer fuses at the consumer premises) within 4 hours from receiving the complaint in towns and cities with a population of 50000and above(Urban areas) and within 12 hours in rural areas. Location of fuse of call centers in Towns and cities calls for quicker response in attending to the complaints. For rural areas a higher time limit is fixed taking in to account the larger jurisdiction and travel time involved. The fuse of calls at consumer premises will be attended only between 8 AM to 6 PM except essential services like water supply, Hospitals etc, and other important Government services. Individual complaints of consumers received during night time shall be attended to within 4 working hours in urban areas.
2. The licensee shall inform the consumer the likely time by which the power supply may be restored in the case of routine line breakdown within one hour of receiving the complaint. The licensee shall restore the power supply to the consumer within 6 hours of receiving the complaint in towns and cities and within 24 hours of receiving the complaint in rural areas.
3. The licensee shall restore power supply in the case of failures of distribution transformers by replacement of transformer within 24 hours in Towns and cities and 48 hours in rural areas.
4. The licensee shall rectify line faults and restore power supply to strre lights within 24 hours.
5. The licensee shall respond within 4 hours to a consumer regarding variations in voltage and frequency of power supply beyond the tolerance limit in Indian Electricity rules, at the point of commencement of power supply.
6. The complaints regarding low voltages arising due to inadequacy in the distribution system requiring up gradation of distribution lines, transformers or installation of capacitors shall be resolved within 120 days.
7. Period of interruption due to scheduled outage shall be specified in the notice and shall not exceed 12 hours on any day. In each event the licensee shall ensure that power supply is normally restored by 6-00PM.
8. In the event of complaints regarding the defects in the meters the licensee shall inspect the premises and check the meter within 7 days from the receipt of complaint and if the meter is not working the licensee shall replace the meter within 30 days from receiving the complaint.
9. During inspection or at the time of checking or testing, if the meter is found tampered the licensee may take appropriate action as permitted under law.
10. The licensee shall replace the burnt out meters within 7 days of complaint if the burning of the meter is not due to causes attributable to consumer like tampering, defect in consumers installation, meter getting wet due to falling of water on same, connecting up unauthorized additional load from the consumer , the consumer shall be given 7 days of notice and the licensee shall replace the meter within 7 days after receiving the payment from the consumer and after necessary corrective action was taken to avoid future damages to the meter.

_____ Madiraju Madhusudhan Rao