PUNJAB STATE ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION

SCO NO. 220-221, SECTOR 34-A, CHANDIGARH

 

 

                                                                                       Date  of Order: 16.10.2009

 

 

In the matter of :                     Implementation of Govt. of Punjab directive issued under Section 108 of the Electricity Act 2003 for compliance of Policy notified by the State Govt. for regularization of unauthorized extension in load by AP consumers by the Punjab State Elecy. Board.

 

Present:                                  Shri Jai Singh Gill, Chairman

                                                Shri Satpal Singh Pall, Member

 

ORDER

 

 

1.         Govt. of Punjab (GOP) Department of Power ( Energy Branch )has notified  Policy for Voluntary Disclosure of Unauthorized Extension in Load by AP Consumers in its notification No. 10/78/2009-PE2 /3105 Dt. Chandigarh, the 30th September, 2009.In the policy the Govt. has decided to give another  opportunity to the farmers through an incentive based Voluntary Disclosure Policy for declaration and regularization of unauthorized extension in load by AP consumers. The policy is spelt out as under:-

i)          The Policy shall be called Voluntary Disclosure Policy for incentives to get unauthorized extension in load to agriculture tubewell consumers regularized.

ii)         It shall come into force with immediate effect and shall remain applicable upto 31st December 2009.

iii)        As per policy, AP consumers already running on HVDS with individual transformer of 6.3/10/16 KVA shall give prior information for their load extension by depositing charges of Rs. 1000/- per BHP plus Rs. 200/- per BHP as initial security so that measures may be taken to augment the transformer to match the extended load.

iv)        Similarly, AP consumers who have got their connections released under OYT or OYT pattern, shall deposit the difference of cost of transformer in addition to Rs.200/- per BHP as initial security.

v)         Augmentation of the line and distribution transformer, wherever required after due consideration, verification by Addl. SE/Sr.XEN/DS concerned shall be done by PSEB at its cost.

vi)        For the purpose of regularization of the load of AP consumers running on LT, the loading of the transformer shall be taken as 100 %, the action to augment the transformer capacity shall be taken with the approval of Dy.CE/SE/DS at Board’s cost.

vii)       The regularization of unauthorized load of AP tubewell connection running on LT system shall be done immediately as deemed regularization on detection of unauthorized load or self-declaration by the consumer regarding unauthorized load.

viii)      The regularization of unauthorized load of AP consumers running on LT shall not be withheld due to over loading of distribution transformers.

 

The above Policy shall be applicable to all tubewell connections released and installed on or before the date of notification of this Policy.

 

2.         Simultaneously Govt. of Punjab, Department of Power (Energy Branch) has issued an Order dated 30th September, 2009 wherein a directive has been issued to the Commission under Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003. It has been stipulated in the Order that the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission shall be guided in the matter by the policy so notified by the State Govt. for implementation by the Punjab State Electricity Board for regularization of unauthorized extension in load by AP consumers. It has also been intimated that Govt. of Punjab vide notification dt. 30.9.2009 has decided to declare a Policy for voluntary disclosure of unauthorized extension in load by AP consumers for regularization. It has further indicated that the policy announced by the Govt. is considered to be in the larger interest of farmers in view of the depletion of ground water and resultant difficulties and financial constraints faced by them.

3.         The Commission notes that PSERC ( Supply Code and Related Matters ) Regulations 2007 were framed and notified by the Commission on 29th June, 2007 (published in the State Govt. Gazette dt. July 27,2007). These Regulations came into force w.e.f January 1, 2008. In compliance of these Regulations, Service Connection Charges @ Rs. 3600/- per BHP payable by an applicant/consumer seeking a new connection and/or extension in load under AP category were approved by the Commission on the basis of Standard Cost Data submitted by the Board. The charges became applicable w.e.f December 22,2008. These applicants/ consumers are also required to deposit initial security as specified in Schedule of General Charges approved by the Commission. The present rates of initial security for the  AP category are Rs. 200 per BHP. The Commission  observes that as per the Policy for Voluntary Disclosure of Unauthorized Extension in Load by AP consumers notified by the State Govt. a consumer is required to pay Rs. 1000 per BHP in addition to initial security amounting to Rs. 200 per BHP. Thus the implementation of the directive of the State Govt. would entail amendment of the Supply Code.

            In the light of the provisions of Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003, the Commission considers it proper to implement the directive issued by the State Govt. and decides that the  Supply Code shall be deemed to have been relaxed to that extent.

 

         Sd/-                                                                                      Sd/-

(Satpal Singh Pall)                                                         ( Jai Singh Gill )

Member                                                                                Chairman

 

 

 

Place: Chandigarh

Dated: October 16, 2009