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Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Electricity Consumers' Association has opposed the discom CESU’s decision to collect additional security amount from consumers in the name of load declaration.
For consuming electricity above the approved load, consumers will have to pay two-time charges.
Ramesh Satapathy, president of the electricity consumers' association said, “We feel our security deposits are not secured with the discoms. Now, in the name of self delcaration the discoms are asking for additional security deposits. We have requested OERC not to allow the discoms to collect any extra money.”
Meanwhile, PK Das, CGM Commerce of CESU, said, “As power consumption is increasing and to ensure uninterrupted power supply, this is the arrangement we have done.”
When asked about details of collection under load declaration, Das said, “We have to ask the division to get the figures.”
Besides, the consumers are angry about the minimum fixed charge collected by the discoms.
Panchanan Kanungo, chairman of the Electricity Consumers’ Association said, “There is no reason why minimum fixed charge per kilowatt is being collected. MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain had also raised the issue in the Assembly.
Kanungo added, “We demand that Rs 5,000 crore, which has been collected from consumers so far, should be immediately returned to consumers.”
Bibhu Mohapatra, CGM Finance, Gridco stated, “The OERC has made the regulation after much review. Though in the Electricity Act there is no provision for this minimum fixed charge, the discoms would want to recover the cost of electricity supply.”
