In the wake of a number of complaints from consumers about incorrect billing and harassment by private power distribution companies in Delhi, the state electricity regulatory commission has suggested a number of measures to safeguard customers and ensure compensation for them.
The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission's draft Metering and Billing Regulations 2004, for which public comments have been invited, have a number of safeguards to protect customers from arbitrary action of the distribution companies (distcoms).
According to the draft, no one can walk into the premises of a customer to inspect report of theft of power unless he shows a photo-identity card and hands over a business guard.
According to the regulations which came into force in August 2002, the distcom officials only needed to show an authority letter before searching the premises.
Moreover, now no case for electricity theft can be registered only on account of seals on the meter missing or tampered or breakage of glass window or hole in the meter body unless corroborated by the consumption pattern of the consumer.
Even if a case has to be registered, the distcom has to serve a seven working days show-cause notice within a week of the date of inspection as to why the case of theft should not be booked against the consumer. It also has to arrange personal hearing with the customer within four days of submission of complaint.
These clauses are not present in the regulations currently in force.
The draft regulations have also clearly laid out the number of instalments through which a customer can pay his arrears.
If the arrears are for a period up to 12 months, 50 per cent has to be paid in the first instalment and the balance in two equal instalments. In case arrears are for more than 12 months, it has to be paid in four equal installments.
"Earlier, there was no clear guideline for payment of arrears and customers had to haggle with the distcoms. This step should save them any harassment," a DERC official said.
If the arrears for which payment had already been made within the due date again appears in a later bill, the distcom will have to pay a compensation at the rate of 10 per cent of the arrear amount with a ceiling of Rs 500 to the consumer.
In case this happens a second time, the compensation will be 15 per cent of the arrear amount with a ceiling of Rs 750, according to the draft regulations.
They also say that the distcoms have to pay compensation to the tune of Rs 500 for delay in raising the first bill, transferring ownership, load reduction and in case provisional billing continues for more than two billing cycles.
"At present, if customers face these problems they can claim penalty of same amount. But as this can be a long process, we have substituted it with a compensation clause," the official said.
The draft regulations had already been approved by the three distcoms in Delhi and would be notified after incorporating the public comments, he said.
© 2025