Chennai: Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has nullified Tangedco’s guideline seeking surrendering of existing power supply connection to avail temporary supply for carrying out construction works.
Now the commission has issued an order simplifying the procedures to avail temporary power supply for construction purposes by existing consumers through mere tariff change.
The commission’s order has come in the wake of consumer complaints that the Tangedco was insisting on surrendering of existing service connection to avail temporary supply.
In the order, the commission pointed out that regulation 39 of the TN Distribution Code specified that permanent supply procedure should be adopted for effecting the temporary supply and it only deals with the procedure for effecting new service connection for the construction purpose.
However, the Tangedco has adopted the same procedure for the existing consumer who wanted to undertake building extension works too. The order noted the chief financial controller of Tangedco’s instruction appears to be the outcome of misinterpretation of the commission’s regulation.
As per the commission’s order, the existing consumers who wanted temporary supply for construction purpose can avail it by merely changing the tariff schedule.
If the existing building has multiple service connections, temporary supply will be provided to only one supply and all other connections has to be surrendered. Besides, the consumer will have to pay additional charges if reconversion into permanent one required strengthening of existing network.
