Electricity connections in 15 days under new guidelines

Union power minister Piyush Goyal said his ministry has undertaken many reforms in two years to ease the process of getting an electricity connection. From restricting the time period it takes to get an electricity connection to simplifying the process of application, the ministry has taken various steps to help resolve consumer concerns, he said

In a move that could benefit residents of unauthorised colonies in the national capital, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on Thursday said consumers in the capital will be entitled to get new electricity connections within 15 days of submitting their applications under the power ministry's new guidelines.

The power sector regulator also said the need for electrical approval for 11 KV installations carried out by discoms and allowing self certification by discom engineers in such cases has also been done away with.

This is likely to benefit residents of unauthorised colonies in the capital.

Nearly 15,000 applications for electricity connection are held up for more than a year as power distribution companies claim they are unable to set up infrastructure for want of space.

''The necessary changes to allow low-tension connection up to 150 KVA have been carried out. We have also rationalised the tariff for the same in 2015,'' said an official of the power regulator.

The regulator has fixed time stipulated for each step in providing the connection. Accordingly, discoms will carry out field inspections within three days of online submission of applications for electricity connection, while the process of estimate preparation, load sanction and intimation for fee deposit will have to be completed in the next four days.

Installation work, including meter and flow of electricity will be done in eight days, thus completing the whole process in 15 days.

Consumers in Delhi and Mumbai will have to provide self certification at the time of application, for ''type of consumer'', along with ID proof and premises ownership.

An amendment to CEA notification has been made to waive off electrical approval for 11 KV installation carried out by discoms and allowing self certification by discom engineers in such cases.

Reliability of power supply will be improved progressively each year till international benchmark is achieved.

An amendment in CEA notification for allowing installation of transformers up to 500 KVA on double pole structure has also been made.

A simplified online mechanism for Right of Way (RoW) approval process for electrical works is also under process, says the ministry.

Meanwhile, in order to ensure that consumers get the sanctioned load, the power sector regulator has directed discoms to take average readings for four months to decide upon the sanctioned load of a household.

''Earlier discoms used to randomly calculate with three highest readings for sanctioned load. But now average readings will be taken,'' said a discom official.