On 19th February 2021, the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) issued Regulations for Discom Performance Standards 2021. As per these regulations the distribution companies will have pay compensation to the consumers for failure in ensuring services.
These RERC (Standards of Performance for Distribution Licensees) Regulations, 2021 shall be applicable to all the Distribution Licensees including Deemed Licensees/ Franchisees and all of its consumers in the state of Rajasthan.
Objectives of Regulations for Discom Performance Standards 2021
These regulation have been released with an objective to lay down the standards to maintain distribution system parameters within the permissible limits. These standards shall serve as benchmark for Licensees/franchisee for providing an efficient, reliable, coordinated and economical system of electricity distribution. It is the right of consumer to have minimum standards of service for supply of electricity from the distribution licensee in accordance with the provisions made in these Regulations.
The objectives of these Regulations are:
- (a) to lay down standards of performance;
- (b) to measure the actual performance of licensee/franchisee as against the benchmarks standards of performance.
- (c) to ensure quality and suitability of distribution network performance.
- (d) to enable the consumers to design their systems and equipment to suit the electrical environment that they operate in;
- (e) to improve service delivery to the consumers.
(f) to develop transparent mechanism for ensuring fair compensation to the consumers in case the Licensee fails to achieve guaranteed benchmark standard of performance as described in these Regulations.
Highlights of Regulations for Discom Performance Standards 2021 :
- Overhead line /overhead cable break down has to be rectified within four hours in cities, while six hours in urban areas and 10 hours in rural areas.
- Distribution transformer failure has to be rectified within 8 hours in city and urban areas, while it is 24 hours in rural areas.
- Power transformer failure has to be put on track within 48 hours in city, urban and rural areas.
- In case of failure of a licencee/franchisee to meet the Guaranteed Standards of Performance and completion within actual time as specified in these regulations as well as Supply Code Regulations, compensation should be payable to the consumer by the licensee/franchisee.
- There shall be an IT enabled centralized customer care centre at licensee/franchisee headquarter.
- The complaint number shall be communicated to the consumer by the Licensee within 30 minutes of receiving the complaint
References:
RERC – Discom Performance Standards 2021 – Download PDF