Activist oppose TNERC instruction to Tangedco on tariff change application

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission's direction to Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation to allow conversion of electricity service connection without insisting on the building completion certificate was opposed by the activist alleging that it would be misused by the building violators.

In a direction to the Tangedco dated August 1, the commission said that it has received numerous petitions from the consumers over the utility's insistence of providing building completion certificate for effecting tariff change, especially from domestic service to commercial service.

It noted that one of the petitioners from Coimbatore represented that notice has been issued to furnish the building completion certificate to effect tariff change from domestic to commercial failing which the service would be disconnected.

There is no provision to disconnect the power supply as per the regulations.

It said that as per the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019 makes it mandatory for providing the completion certificate for new service connection for all buildings except residential buildings up to 12 m in height not exceeding three dwelling units or 750 sq m and all types of Industrial building.

K.Kathirmathiyon, Secretary, Coimbatore Consumer Cause has written to the TNERC secretary stating that the commission's instructions dated August 1 on tariff conversion is against the spirit of the 2019 rule and Madras High Court orders. "As on date, the Tangedco is converting the tariff to non-exempted categories if the buildings were construed before the notification of the Rule 2019. In case of conversion to non-exempted categories only for the buildings constructed after the notification of the Rules, the utility insists on a completion certificate. We feel it is correct and is in line with the objective of the Rule and High Court orders, " he said.

He noted that the unauthorised house building constructed - after February 2019, for the very purpose of commercial activity, could get domestic service connection SC and then convert it to commercial, without any problem – whereas the consumer cannot get commercial connection directly for the commercial activity.

"Already those violators who could not get even domestic connections – since more than six houses were constructed - got the connection under the cottage and micro industries for all those houses and then apply for conversion to other non-exempted categories.

Your order, only paving way for such a route – defeating the very purpose of the Rule and Court order. Hence unauthorised illegal new buildings could get the service connection for non-exempted categories also, " he said, urging the commission to allow the conversion of the service connection that was effected before the notification of the 2019 rules.