Following the revocation of power distribution licences of three utilities controlled by Reliance Infrastructure, the chairman cum managing director (CMD) of Gridco Ltd has prepared a short-term action plan for streamlining operations and improving efficiency of these companies.
The action plan aims at achieving some stipulated targets by September this year, focusing on rudimentary aspects of distribution like billing, collection, new connections and disconnections as well as installation of new meters. The Gridco CMD has been designated as the administrator of the three utilities under the supervisory control of principal secretary (energy), Odisha as per the order of the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC).
"We are targeting at 100 per cent billing of all consumers. Besides, we intend to scale up collection efficiency to at least 85 per cent by September from 60 per cent presently. Plans are afoot to install 300,000 new electric meters. We will also take up new connection drives and go for disconnection of defaulting consumers. Connection squads will be appointed for this purpose," said Hemant Sharma, Gridco CMD. Out of 300,000 new electric meters, 100,000 meters are expected to be installed by December this year.
Moreover, there are plans to lay a network of 5,000 km of AB (aerial bunched) cables in the distribution areas of the three utilities.
"We hope that around 40 per cent of the AB network is laid by September this year," Sharma said.
AB cables are overhead power lines using several insulated phase conductors bundled tightly together, usually with a bare neutral conductor. This is in contrast with the traditional practice of using uninsulated conductors separated by air gaps.
In its March 4 order, state power regulator OERC had scrapped the licences of three Reliance Infrastructure companies - North Eastern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha Ltd (Nesco), Western Electricity Supply Company of Odisha Ltd (Wesco) and Southern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha Ltd (Southco). The licences were revoked under Section 19 (revocation of licence based on public interest) of the Electricity Act, 2003 with immediate effect.
The Central Services Office (CSO), umbrella organisation of Reliance Infra for power distribution operation in the state, was also disbanded. The licences were withdrawn on grounds of non-satisfactory performance, failure to contain steep aggregate technical & commercial (AT&C) losses and consistent defaults in payment of bulk power supply price.
In its order, OERC held that the Gridco CMD would manage electricity supply activities in the revoked licence area of Nesco, Wesco and Southco till further orders of the commission.
