1 TRANSLATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND ... - APFA News

therefore face lots of difficulties today. Since the government organizations are
involved both in the establishment and distribution of hydropower, there are
problems of defaulting payment as there are no regulations governing
relationship among the organizations. The failure of organizations to pay for
electricity has made it difficult to maintain and manage some powerhouses.
Some distributors have not been able to collect electricity bills from consumers.
The owner of small powerhouses face difficulty as big ones cut down the cost of
electricity. While there is abundant supply of electricity in some country, there
are regions without or with very limited power availability. If no regulatory
system were framed in Bhutan from the very beginning, corrupt practices will
creep in whereby circumstances may arise where the income of a bill-collector
supercedes the salary of a director of an organization. The draft of the Bhutan
Electricity Act has been submitted to the National Assembly so early in order to
avoid the occurrence of such difficulties.
The roles, responsibilities and regulation concerning the establishment of
powerhouses and electricity distributors are clearly stipulated in the Act. It
ensures that the interest of the country, people, and investors in hydropower
projects and electricity distributors are protected. To ensure that the people
benefit, one of the important provisions of the Act is the requirement of
investors and distributors to discuss the project with the people while they
obtain the license from the government. It has also been stated that making
electricity available to poor people and those living in remote rural areas is a
social responsibility. For general benefits, technical standards and safety
measures have also been highlighted. One of the most significant provisions of
the Act is the importance of avoiding discriminatory distribution of power by
licensed distributors. It is clearly stipulated that they should collect bills and
other dues from the people, and distribute electricity according to their needs.
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