The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has served show cause notices on the transmission and distribution companies for the sudden power outages that hit the National Capital Territory of Delhi following a storm on May 30th.
The four companies served show cause notices include Delhi Transco Limited, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, BSES Yamuna Power Limited and BSES Rajdhani Power Limited.
While DTL is a state transmission utility, the other three are private distribution companies.
The disruption in power supply following the storm last month has been attributed to failure on the part of the transmission and distribution companies to augment, upgrade, and carry out repairs and maintenance of infrastructure such as transmission and distribution lines and transformers on time.
The show cause notices dated June 17th, 2014, pointed out that DERC was taking cognizance of the matter as a Suo-Moto petition. It said the Commission was of the view that the companies had failed to comply with the specific provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, the rules and regulations made there under, the terms and conditions of the license issued and the directions to maintain continuity of supply in Delhi.
All the four companies have been asked to respond in detail within a week as to why action should not be taken against them as per the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, and the terms and conditions of the license issued. The responses will be considered during a hearing scheduled on June 26th, 2014.
Meanwhile, the capital continues to be gripped by an acute power crisis. The Union Minister of State for Power Piyush Goyal held a detailed review meeting on June 10th to take stock of the power situation in Delhi. The meeting was attended by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, senior officials of the Ministry, Delhi Government and the distribution companies. Following the meeting, Goyal said the policy paralysis that prevailed over the last few years had led to the power crisis in the city.
The Ministry of Power claims that several measures have already been initiated to restore the affected lines and improve power supply to the city at the earliest. It blames the lack of investment on the city’s transmission and distribution infrastructure during the last 10-15 years for the present power situation.
