Discoms will now have to pay power consumers enhanced compensation for outages with Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission on Wednesday issuing the revised Supply Code 2017. The third amendment will make powerdistribution companies financially accountable to consumers for their failure to address complaints within the stipulated time period.

The compensation policy is in line with the directions issued by Delhi government under Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003. Previously, consumers were paid at the rate of Rs 10 per kW per hour, maximum up to Rs 200, in case of different categories of interruptions in power supply. According to the new regulation, the power consumers will be paid Rs 50 per hour for first two hours of unscheduled cut followed thereafter by Rs 100 per hour, a government statement said.

The compensation will be payable automatically by the discoms — BYPL, BRPL and Tata Power Delhi — to consumers. It will be adjusted in their power bills. The discoms will submit a report of all such credited compensations to DERC on a weekly basis, the statement said. Any disagreement over payment of compensation will be decided by the Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum. Appeals on CGRF order will be taken up by the electricity ombudsman. 

According to the code, if a claim of consumer for unscheduled power cut is upheld by the CGRF or ombudsman, the amount of compensation in such cases will go up to Rs 5,000 or five times of the compensation payable originally. In case of scheduled outages, the compensation will be payable after 12 hours, or in case outage extends beyond 6 pm, whichever is earlier.

In cases of burnt or stolen meters, the supply has to be restored within three hours of complaint, thereafter compensation will be payable on hourly basis. Replacement of meter is to be done within three days failing which a compensation of Rs 50 per day will be payable

For other performance-related issues not related to unscheduled cuts, the affected person can lodge claim with the discom within 60 days from the day of the problem. The discoms shall pay compensation to all the affected consumers within 90 days from the last date of previous billing cycle in case of power supply failure and from the date of filing of claim in case of other defaults in performance.