The Authorities of India has accepted amendments to the Electrical energy (Rights of Shoppers) Guidelines, 2020. Issuing the amendments, the Union Minister for Energy and New & Renewable Vitality Shri R. Ok. Singh acknowledged that these amendments additional scale back the timeline for getting new electrical energy connections and that they simplify the method of organising rooftop photo voltaic installations. The Minister knowledgeable that the amendments empower shoppers dwelling in multistoried flats in selecting their connection kind and guarantee separate billing for widespread areas and back-up mills in residential societies, thus enhancing transparency. The amendments additionally present for examine meters to be put in by distribution firm in case of client complaints, to confirm electrical energy consumption.
The key amendments made are as follows.
Facilitating Simpler and Sooner set up of Rooftop Photo voltaic Techniques
Amendments have been made within the Guidelines, to facilitate quicker set up and improve the benefit of organising Rooftop Photo voltaic PV programs on the premises of prosumers.
Exemption has been given for the requirement of technical feasibility examine, for programs as much as a capability of 10 kW. For programs of capability increased than 10 kW, the timeline for finishing the feasibility examine has been decreased from twenty days to fifteen days. Additional, in case the examine is just not accomplished inside the stipulated time, the approval can be deemed to have been given.
Moreover, it has now been mandated that the distribution system strengthening obligatory for rooftop photo voltaic PV programs as much as 5 kW capability can be executed by the distribution firm at its personal value.
Additional, the timeline for the distribution licensee to fee Rooftop Photo voltaic PV programs has been decreased from thirty days to fifteen days.
Separate Connections for Electrical Car Charging Stations
Shoppers can now acquire separate electrical energy connections for charging their Electrical Autos (EVs).
This aligns with the nation’s objective of decreasing carbon emissions and reaching Web Zero by the yr 2070.
New connections and alter in current connections to be obtained quicker
The time interval for acquiring a brand new electrical energy connection below the Guidelines has been decreased from seven days to a few days in metropolitan areas, from fifteen days to seven days in different municipal areas, and from thirty days to fifteen days in rural areas. Nevertheless, in rural areas with hilly terrain, the time interval for brand spanking new connections or for modifications in current connections will stay thirty days.
Extra Rights for Shoppers in Residential Colonies and Flats
Provisions have been launched within the Guidelines, to boost client selection and promote larger transparency in metering and billing.
House owners residing in co-operative group housing societies, multi-storied buildings, residential colonies, and so on., will now have the choice to select from the distribution licensee both particular person connections for everybody or a single-point connection for the entire premises. The train of the choice can be primarily based on a clear poll to be performed by the Distribution Firm. Parity has additionally been introduced within the tariff charged to shoppers who get electrical energy provided by way of single-point connection and to those that avail of particular person connections.
Metering, billing, and assortment can be executed individually for: (i) particular person electrical energy consumption sourced from the distribution licensee, (ii) particular person consumption of backup energy provided by the residential affiliation, and (iii) electrical energy consumption for widespread areas of such residential associations, which is sourced from the distribution licensee.
Necessary Extra Meter in instances of Complaints
In instances the place shoppers increase complaints about meter studying not aligning with their precise electrical energy consumption, the distribution licensee is now required to put in a further meter inside 5 days from the date of receipt of the grievance. This extra meter can be used to confirm the consumption for a minimal interval of three months, thus reassuring shoppers and making certain accuracy in billing.
The Energy and New & Renewable Vitality Minister acknowledged that the curiosity of shoppers is paramount for the federal government. It’s for this objective that the federal government issued the Electrical energy (Rights of Shoppers) Guidelines, 2020 on thirty first December, 2020, thus setting requirements for companies offered by electrical energy distribution firms throughout India. These guidelines cowl features akin to billing, complaints, compensation and timelines for brand spanking new connections. Additionally they supply assist for renewable power era by prosumers. The Energy and New & Renewable Vitality Minister acknowledged that the current amendments will additional empower the shoppers.
The notifications of the Guidelines in December 2020 and amendments since then, together with the current modification issued on February 22, 2024 might be discovered beneath.