COIMBATORE: Violating a recent Madras High Court order, the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) has levied network charges on industrial units with rooftop solar systems, show electricity bills issued this month.
The power utility, however, cited a later stay order issued by the HC against an individual mill owner for continuing the practice opposed by industrial bodies.
Industrialists claimed that it was against the Madras High Court order on March 23, 2025 in response to petitions by several industrial organisations.
The order barred the TNPDCL from collecting network charges from power consumers with rooftop solar units.
TNPDCL officials, however, claimed have received an instruction from the corporation to collect the charge from the users.
M Jayabal, the President of the Recycle Textile Federation, said, "After the HC's order in March, the corporation did not levy network charge on HT consumers in April. But, it was levied on LT consumers. We were demanding the corporation to exempt the tariff to all users.
Meanwhile, all users were charged with the network charge in the current month's bill. When we enquired with TNEB officials, they pointed out a stay order issued by the HC against an individual mill owner on April 28."
"The stay is only applicable against the individual mill owner as the TNEB did not make us respondents in the petitions. But, it has violated the court's order by levying the charge by merely citing the stay against the individual mill owner. We would approach the court against the violation," he said.
An industrial operator, who did not want to be named, said, "We are using a solar rooftop in the HT line. We normally produce over 50,000 units of solar energy per month. In the bill received in May, `1.04 was levied as network charge per unit. If I do not pay the charge within the due date, they would cut the service. We have no option but to pay the bill before approaching the court or the government again."
When contacted a senior official from TNEB said, "Based on a communication from TNPDCL on April 9, we are directed to levy the network charge from consumers considering the stay by the court."
It may be recalled that several industrial associations, especially SISPA, SIMA, TASMA and RTF, had approached the court and obtained the order against the collecting of network charges ranging from 0.83 paise to Rs 1.04 for HT consumers and Rs 1.27 to Rs 1.59 per unit for LT consumers, after two years of legal battle that started in March 2022.
The HC order on March 23 directed the authorities not to collect network charges from industry association members who have installed rooftop solar power.
Network charge is not levied for power consumers with residential rooftop solar systems.