Shoma Patnaik
Panaji: Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for Goa and Union territories has pulled up the state’s electricity department for not complying with its directives.
Chiding the power department for ignoring its orders most of the time, the JERC has said that though it has been issuing various directives for necessary action, the electricity department has not been fully compliant with many of the directions.
The JERC has now asked the power department to compulsorily submit a detailed action plan on compliance of all the directives within the next one month.
Further, it has also asked for a quarterly progress report as well as quarterly status reports on key issues like metering and billing, renewable purchase obligation (RPO) compliance, Fuel and Power Purchase Cost Adjustment (FPPCA), SOPs, capital expenditure (capex) and capitalisation within 10 days of the end of each quarter.
In the Multi-Year Tariff order for period 2025-26 to 2029-30, issued on September 30, JERC said substantial time has already been given to the power department for compliance with its directions.
If the department fails to answer in the given timeframe, action will be initiated under provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, and regulations, it has said.
In one of the directives, the JERC had asked the electricity department to treat sub-divisions as strategic business units and compile data on the same.
The department’s response after three years said that for creation of strategic business units, all accounts linked to billing, capital works and other expenditure needed to be co-related and segregated. The electricity department sought for the directive to be dropped.
However, not acceding to the request, the JERC has asked the department to submit details of the work being carried out and progress report within two months.
In the case of pre-paid smart meters, the JERC ordered for the process to be expedited and sought status on the project. The electricity department said the smart meter project was approved by the state government and the letter of intent issued in March this year. The JERC direction states that the department will have to submit the detailed project report (DPR) on the volume of works, associated cost, funding plan and its cost-benefit analysis within three months.
Of the four directives issued by JERC, only one has been dropped owing to a satisfactory reply from the electricity department. However, an additional directive has been issued in the latest tariff order.
