Report of Indian Institute of Public Administration ... - Ministry of Power

11.3 Distribution
State Reports (Vol.-III)
Study on `Impact of Restructuring of SEBs’
AT&C losses have been around 41 per cent. The final appraisal carried out by
the ADB states that with the efficiency improvements and investments in the
transmission and distribution sectors for upgrading the network, the target is to
bring them to 25 per cent in the year 2007-08 which includes reduction in the
technical loss from 18 per cent to 14 per cent and commercial loss from 14 per
cent to 5 per cent. There is no perceptible reduction in the AT&C losses yet.
M/s PricewaterhouseCoopers have been given a project assignment for training
and support for loss estimation and loss reduction in the distribution system.
The consultant will determine the total losses in the feeders and also identify
the areas where higher losses are occurring. Consultants were also to carry out
studies to segregate the technical and commercial losses and also train the
DISCOMs field staff in the estimation methodology and techniques. The
causes and estimation of the commercial losses due to various reasons like
tampered meters, under-billing, under-recorded loads, etc., is also to be done.
Pilot studies for reduction in commercial losses on the basis of the monitoring
of consumer installation; on the job training to the DISCOMs staff is also in the
scope of the study. This consultancy assignment is still under way. For
handling of cases of electricity theft, exclusive courts have not been set up but
the senior-most Sessions Judge has been asked to handle such cases. The
billing is partially computerised and the plan is for fully computerised billing in
the current year. The frequency of meter reading and billing is monthly.
However, 100 per cent metering at the 11 kV feeder level has been achieved.
Information Systems will improve after computerised billing is implemented
on a large scale.
The DISCOMs have not prepared separate unit cost for various categories of
consumers like, agricultural, domestic and industrial. About 46 per cent of
energy is supplied to domestic category, 15 per cent to industrial, 10 per cent to
commercial and about 29 per cent to tea gardens and agricultural consumers,
etc. Being in the transition period, commercial and financial capacity building
is taking place. The schemes covered under APDRP are being implemented
actively in various circles. Out of an amount of Rs 174 crore received under
APDRP, Rs 171 crore has been utilised so far.
Single Point Power Supply through Franchisee Scheme has been introduced to
provide better electricity service to the rural population. Targets have been set
8.16