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For Power Connections, You Can Have Own Meters

  • Applicants seeking electricity connections can purchase meters on their own and ask the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) to accept them for effecting their connections.An order issued by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) five days ago directed the TANGEDCO to accept the meters purchased by consumers and effect service connections.

  • The Corporation had to provide a list of makes and models of meters to enable consumers to buy any one of those meters for this purpose. The TANGEDCO would notify at least four makes of meters, keeping in view the make and type of meters being purchased by them.The TANGEDCO would have to put in place a system of quality assurance and testing of meters.

  • Necessary approval would have to be obtained from the Commission in this regard.If the TANGEDCO decided not to test those meters about which it felt satisfied on the production of test certificates by consumers, that would be the choice of TANGEDCO. The make and type of meters to be procured by the consumers would be notified in the website of TANGEDCO in a month.The Commission stated that its direction would become effective after two months. For instance, in the case of domestic consumers, the power utility installs meters.

  • It collects Rs.700 for a single phase connection and Rs.2,500 for a three phase connection. Between April 2006 and March 2011, the strength of domestic consumers went up by about 23 lakh. According to a tariff revision petition filed by the Corporation, the projected strength of domestic consumers would be about 157 lakh by the end of the current financial year (2011-2012).The TNERC's order was issued in response to the TANGEDCO's communication in November last to the Commission, which had earlier asked the Corporation to accept meters supplied by consumers. The Commission had received complaints regarding delays in energising new connections for want of meters. Its attention had also been drawn that the power utility did not accept the meters purchased by them. The Builders Association of India had given a written complaint.

  • The Commission expressed dissatisfaction over the response of the Corporation which essentially dealt with establishing independent third party meter testing arrangements.In its reply, the TANGEDCO had stated that efforts were made in 2009 to utilise the services of the existing third party meter testing laboratories but the charges claimed by them were two-three times the cost of meters. It was for this reason that the consumers were advised not to procure and supply the meters.The Corporation had also explained how its steps for enlisting the services of third party agencies, having accreditation of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), did not materialise. It had now planned to float fresh bids in this connection. The TANGEDCO had argued that non-acceptance of meters supplied by consumers could not be construed as non-compliance of directions of the Commission.

  • But, the TNERC ruled that the provisions of the Electricity Act, regulations of the Central Electricity Authority and those of the TNERC enabled the consumers to opt for the purchase of meters which needed to be tested by the licensee [in this instance, TANGEDCO] in its laboratory whereas third party testing of meters would be required only in the event of a dispute between the consumers and the licensee.

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