Times of India - 23/3/09
In a shocking admission, a Delhi government inspection report has concluded that nearly 90% of electricity meters checked in the national Capital were overcharging, running 2.5% higher than the error margin limit.
In a recent communication to the Centre, the power department said, “Since 87% meters have been found to be operating on the plus side, it has given undue financial gains to discoms as there are over two million connections in Delhi.”
The report also hinted at a possible nexus in high places since private distribution companies had been allowed to operate without any action being initiated against them despite several complaints. The report said, “It does not appear to have happened unintentionally.”
The tests found that more than 1,100 of the 1,300 meters checked had been overcharging by as much as 2.5% more than the bill amount.
The meters belonged to all three private discoms — BRPL, NDPL and BYPL — distributing power in the national capital. The report suggested that “the accuracy limit of electronic meters must be brought down from +-2.5% to +-0.5% so that consumers are not made to pay for power which they do not actually consume”.
The margin of error was kept upto +-2.5% when consumers had old mechanical meters. However, when private companies came into the picture, they sought to introduce electronic meters on the ground that such a step would bring down the margin of error to nil.
But not only have electronic meters failed to erase errors, the test checks have shown that they functioned on the higher side, causing inflated bills for over two million consumers.
In a shocking admission, a Delhi government inspection report has concluded that nearly 90% of electricity meters checked in the national Capital were overcharging, running 2.5% higher than the error margin limit.
In a recent communication to the Centre, the power department said, “Since 87% meters have been found to be operating on the plus side, it has given undue financial gains to discoms as there are over two million connections in Delhi.”
The report also hinted at a possible nexus in high places since private distribution companies had been allowed to operate without any action being initiated against them despite several complaints. The report said, “It does not appear to have happened unintentionally.”
The tests found that more than 1,100 of the 1,300 meters checked had been overcharging by as much as 2.5% more than the bill amount.
The meters belonged to all three private discoms — BRPL, NDPL and BYPL — distributing power in the national capital. The report suggested that “the accuracy limit of electronic meters must be brought down from +-2.5% to +-0.5% so that consumers are not made to pay for power which they do not actually consume”.
The margin of error was kept upto +-2.5% when consumers had old mechanical meters. However, when private companies came into the picture, they sought to introduce electronic meters on the ground that such a step would bring down the margin of error to nil.
But not only have electronic meters failed to erase errors, the test checks have shown that they functioned on the higher side, causing inflated bills for over two million consumers.
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