VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) has approved the power distribution companies’ (discoms) request to resume spot billing by taking meter readings, wherever possible, such as green zones, for generating low tension (LT) domestic power bill for the month of May. In the areas where it is no possible to collect the meter readings, the bills would be issued provisionally based on consumption recorded in May, 2019.
The power discoms had dispensed with spot billing in view of pandemic imposed lockdown and as it was not safe for meter readers to work amid COVID-19 outbreak.
The discoms provisionally generated March and April bill based on the consumption the previous month this year.
However, as the lockdown is likely to be lifted in green zones and a few relaxations would also be extended to the orange zones, the Discoms requested the APERC for resuming spot billing, wherever feasible.
Meanwhile, the energy department told Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy that 81 per cent of the feeders would be given free power in the ensuing Kharif season.
By Rabi season, 100 per cent feeders would be ready for the nine-hour free power, they said. On Friday, the Chief Minister took stock of the status of various projects being handled by Energy department.
The department aimed at completing various network works by May, 2020, to have 100 per cent feeders ready for the programme.