BHUBANESWAR: Electricity consumers of the state have received a rude shock after receiving SMS alerts from Tata Power asking them to pay hefty additional security deposit (ASD) within a month to avoid power disconnection.
The demand ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 or more for domestic consumers in the city has triggered panic and strong resentment as TPCODL in its demand notice has threatened to disconnect power if the additional security is not paid within 30 days.
A consumer of Jayadev Vihar has received a notice to pay additional security of Rs 3,276 after adjusting the deposit already paid during taking power connection in CESU time.
The TPCODL demand notice said, “You are requested to deposit the differential amount of Rs 3,276 as an additional security amount within a period of 30 (Thirty) days from issuance of this notice. In case of non-receipt of the above-mentioned additional security amount within the period of thirty days, your connection will be disconnected as per the OERC Distribution (Condition of supply) Code 2019, without any further notice, apart from levy of surcharge thereon @15% per annum as per Regulation 55(ii) of the code.”
The demand notices for ASD have been served to consumers in distribution areas of TPCODL and TPWODL covering 17 districts. Consumers failed to understand why this demand notice has been issued now when collection of excess security deposit by TPCODL last year is still pending before the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission for adjudication. The silence of OERC is equally baffling.
“There is absolutely no justification for collection of additional security when it has been acknowledged by OERC that Tata Power has collected excess tariff of Rs 7,215 crore from 2018-19 to 2024-25 over and above the tariff fixed annually. The distribution utility has not refunded the excess collected tariff to the consumer as was done in Andhra Pradesh,” said power analyst Ananda Mohapatra.
He said that clause 53 of the OERC distribution code read, “The amount of security deposit calculated in respect of consumers shall be reviewed by the licensee/supplier generally once in every year (preferably after revision of tariff for the respective year) based on the average consumption for the period representing 12 (twelve) months from April to March of the previous year.”
“Power tariff in the state has remained unchanged for last four years. What was the urgency for imposing additional burden on the consumers?” Mohapatra asked.
A delegation of Odisha State Power Consumers’ Forum led by its president and former Finance minister Panchanan Kanungo submitted a memorandum to OERC demanding the withdrawal of ASD demand notice. Dubbing it as a ‘Jizya Tax’ on consumers, secretary of the forum Rabi Behera said they will be forced to hit the streets against it.
TPCODL clarified that the demand for ASD is a routine, regulatory activity carried out annually based on consumption patterns and prevailing tariff. It has no connection whatsoever to the installation of smart meters, their rent or their functioning.