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| The West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC) has issued a path-breaking draft paper on Standards of Performance of a Licensee.
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| The draft is expected to be a guide for ERCs in other states and fines in those states were expected to follow the same structure, said top power sector sources.
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| WBERC has stipulated a fine of Rs 50 for every 6 hours of delay in restoration of supply in case of unplanned interruption subject to a maximum of Rs 2000 for each affected consumer.
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| The utilities will also have to cough up Rs 250 if their officers fail to visit customer premises within 48 hours in case of voltage or power-quality related complaints or if they fail to convey the findings with in 7 working days.
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| For meter and metering equipment related problems, they will have to shell out Rs 100 for each day of delay subject to a maximum of Rs 1,000 if they fail to check the meter within 5 working day or fail to replace the defective equipment within 15 working days thereafter.
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| In case they fail to respond to billing and payment related queries, the utilities will have to pay a penalty of Rs 150 if they fail to reply within 20 working days of receiving the letter.
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| Further if the utilities fail to reply to a complaint on electricity service within 10 working days they will have to pay penalties of Rs 25 per day for each day of delay.
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| The licensee will also have to ensure that substantive response is sent to the consumer within 20 days of receiving the complaint letter.
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| In case an officer fails to make or keep an appointment the company has to pay a fine of Rs 50 or give at least 24 hours notice of its cancellation.
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| In case of new connection, utilities will have to pay penalties of Rs 100 per day for domestic users and Rs 200 per day for rural users if they fail to install the meter within 30 days.
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| Further, failing to comply with extension of load for existing consumers within 30 days will mean a fine of Rs 125 per day for every of delay.
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| With regards to unplanned interruption, utilities will have to fix them within 6 hours for fuse failure and 36 hours for overhead or underground service fault.
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| Break down of main equipment like distribution transformer, snapping of high tension conductor, failure of high HT underground cable, and failure of grid component will have to be compulsorily attended and fixed within 40 hours.
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| A failed transformer will have to restored within 12 days, prior to which utilities will have to restore connection temporarily from adjacent network within 6 hours. |
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