1.         PURPOSE:

To establish a uniform standard for issue and payment of electricity bills including appropriate guidance for consumers.

2.         DEFINITION:

The words used in Code of practice connotes the same meaning as in the Electricity Act, 2003 and the OERC Distribution (Conditions of Supply) Code, 2004 and licences issued by OERC for Distribution activity.

3.         PERIODICITY OF BILLS:

3.1       Bills shall be issued at a periodicity of not more than 2 months in respect of domestic and general purpose consumers. In respect of all other consumers, the bills may be issued monthly. In case of consumers covered under Spot billing, bills may be issued monthly.

3.2       Bills shall be issued within a period not exceeding 10 days of the end of the billing cycles.

3.3       Bills shall be sent to the consumer either by post or through courier or through the messenger well before the due date for the consumers not covered under Spot billing. There should be some form of acknowledgement for delivery of bills to ensure that consumer gets grace period of 7 days for payment of bills. Signature of the consumer/authorized agent with the date of receipt should be taken on delivery.

3.4       The CESUshall issue the first bill for all services before end of next billing cycle of energizing the connection. In case, the consumer does not receive the first bill before end of next billing cycle from date of energizing the connection, he may report the matter to the J.E./S.D.O./E.E. in charge of distribution of CESUwho shall arrange for issue of the bill within next 2 weeks.

4.         FORMAT OF THE BILL:

4.1       The bill shall contain consumer information as at p to u v and information regarding tariff in addition to information a to o as below on the main body of the bill ;

a.       Consumer No., name and address.

b.      Name of Division/ Sub-Division/Section.

c.       Connected load and/or contract demand of consumer.

d.      Types of supply (i.e. single phase, two phase, three phase L.T. or H.T. or EHT).

e.       Category of consumer (i.e. domestic, general purpose etc.).

f.        Status of meter (ok/defective/missing/no meter)

g.       Billing period/cycle

h.       Initial meter reading of the billing period/cycle with date.

i.         Final meter reading of the billing period/cycle with date.

j.        Number of units consumed during the billing period.

k.      Tariff applicable.

l.         Date of the bill / Due date of payment.

m.     Amount payable within due date.

n.       Amount payable after due date.

o.      Billing details:

1.      Electricity duty.

2.      Current electricity charges( How arrived at )

3.      Current miscellaneous charges

4.      Arrear Electricity charges.

5.      Arrear misc. charges.

6.      Delayed payment surcharge (Where applicable).

7.      Rebate allowed.

8.      Total amount due.

CONSUMER INFORMATION

p.      Current tariff rate and other charges as applicable.

q.      Collection centres

r.        Working hours of collection centres

s.       Mode of payment.

t.        Designation and address Or authorities with whom complaints/grievances shall be lodged (To be printed on the reverse of the bill)

u.       In case of cheques and bank drafts, the receiving authority in whose favour the amount should be drawn.

v.       Details about GRF & Ombudsman.

FORMAT OF THE SPOT BILL

a.       Service Connection No.

b.      Period of Bill

c.       Name and address of the consumer

d.      Bill No.

e.       Date of issue of the bill

f.        Tariff category

g.       Tariff, rate of electricity duty applicable

h.       Contracted/connected load/demand

i.         Single phase/three phase connection

j.        Reading date-past and present

k.      Meter reading-past and present

l.         Units assessed

m.     Basis of bill

n.       Meter rental

o.      Current months charges-Energy charges, fixed/demand charges, minimum charges Electricity duty meter rent, capacitor surcharge if any, rebate allowed.

p.      Arrear electricity charges, DPS arrears

q.      Total charges

r.        Delayed payment surcharge

s.       Due date of payment

Despite existing provisions of code, the requisite information is not provided on the back side of bills. Information on role & addresses of concerned GRFs/Ombudsman should statutorily be printed on bills. 

4.2       Accordingly the bill for Domestic, General Purpose, and all other Consumers covered under single part tariff has to be in format-A as enclosed. In case of other category consumers appropriate information regarding tariff and additional information if any, may be included. The Spot billing format should contain the same item as in format-A.

4.3           Automatic compensation for violation of minimum standards should be built into billing system as per schedule in regulation. The same should be paid automatically by the licensees without waiting for claim.

5.         PAYMENT OF BILL:

5.1       The payment of bill shall normally be made at the collection centres of the CESUor at the Customer Care Centre wherever available on any working day during prescribed hours as indicated in the bill.

5.2       The CESUmay, however, specify any particular collection centre for making payment for a group of consumers.

5.3       If due date indicated in the bill for payment of amount is a Sunday or public holiday, succeeding working day shall be treated as the due date.

5.4       The billed amount shall be paid by the consumer either in cash or by Bank Draft or local cheque or Bankers cheque. However, where specifically allowed by the Licensee, the amount can be paid by account payee cheque or credit cards. The payment can also be received through ECS after proper cost benefit analysis.

5.5       The CESUshall issue a receipt to the consumer for the payment received.

5.6         The consumer shall pay the bill amount by the due date indicated on the bill. Provision should be made for collection of cheque on the spot from senior citizens in case of spot billing.

5.7              To avoid long queues in busy Bill Collection Centres multiple windows should be opened and seating facility/overhead covering should be provided for convenience for consumers.

6.         REBATE:

6.1       Payment of the billed amount within the prescribed date entitles the specified categories of consumers to a rebate. Every bill shall indicate the amount payable

a.       if payment is made within the prescribed due date, or

b.      if payment is made after the due date.

7.         DELAYED PAYMENT SURCHARGE:

7.1       Delayed payment surcharge as per tariff order shall apply in case of default in payment by due date. There shall be no surcharge over surcharge.

8.         ADJUSTMENT OF THE BILL AMOUNT:

8.1       The amount paid by the consumer shall first be adjusted towards electricity duty. In case of part payment by the consumer, the proportionate share of duty from the total collection shall be adjusted first. Out of the balance the adjustment shall be made in the following order of priority:

                                 i.            Current Electricity Charges

                               ii.            Current Miscellaneous Charges

                              iii.            Arrear Electricity Charges

                             iv.            Arrear Miscellaneous Charges

                               v.            Delayed Payment Surcharge.

9.         INSTALLMENT FACILITIES:

9.1       CESUmay grant the facility of payment of bills by instalments to senior citizens and disabled persons in the domestic category on request and on production of proof. In respect of others, the facility may be granted only if the CESUis satisfied regarding deserving nature of request for instalment.

9.2       Grant of instalment facility shall not affect the liability of the consumers to pay delayed payment surcharge till full clearance of arrears. Consumer availing instalment facility shall not be eligible to avail rebate.

9.3       The CESUshall designate the authorities who may grant instalment facilities to different categories of consumers from time to time.

9.4       The number of installments in case of arrear payment for different categories of consumers should be fixed.

10.       ERRONEOUS / DISPUTED BILLS:

10.1     In the event of any dispute in the billed amount, the consumer may lodge a complaint before the designated officer of the licensee. The consumer has to make the payment of average of last 6 months consumption or the billed amount whichever is less even if he raises a dispute.

10.2     The CESUshall normally resolve the dispute within a maximum period of one month as per OERC Distribution (Conditions of Supply) Code, 2004.

10.3     On examination of the complaint, if the CESUfinds the bill to be erroneous, a revised bill shall be given to the consumer indicating the revised due date for payment, which should be fixed not earlier than seven days from the date of delivery of the same to the consumer. If the consumer has paid any excess amount, it shall be refunded by way of adjustment in the subsequent bills. The the CESUshould pay to the consumer interest charges at 1% per month on the excess amount outstanding.

10.4     If the CESUfinds the bills to be correct, the consumer shall be intimated accordingly and notified to pay the amount with additional charges within 15 days with interest @ 1% per month from the due date. If the dispute is not resolved within the time period, the consumer will not be liable to pay interest on the balanced amount.

10.5           Random checking of bills may be conducted by Commission from time to time and penalty imposed for infraction in following provisions of code.

11.       DISCONNECTION DUE TO NON-PAYMENT:

11.1     Where a consumer neglects to pay the charges or any other amounts due from him to the licensee, by the due date mentioned in the bill, in respect of supply of energy to him, the CESUshall serve a 15 clear days notice to the consumer for disconnection of power supply as indicated in Regulation 100 of OERC Distribution (Conditions of Supply) Code, 2004. Supply of energy may be restored if the consumer pays all his dues and charges for disconnection and reconnection of supply. Such suspension of supply of energy shall not relieve the consumer of any of his obligations under the provision of the Electricity Supply Agreement.

12.       TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT:

12.1     If power supply to any consumer remains disconnected for a period of two months for non-payment of charges or dues or non-compliance of any direction issued under this code, and no effective steps are taken by the consumer for removing the cause of disconnection and for restoration of consumer for removing the cause of disconnection and for restoration of power supply, the agreement of the CESUwith the consumer for power supply shall be deemed to have been terminated on expiry of the said period of two months, without notice, provided the initial period of agreement is over.

13.       The CESUshall be entitled to all legal modes of recovery including taking recourse to proceedings under Orissa Public Demand Recovery Act, 1962 (Act 1 of 1963) for realization of the Licensee's dues if such dues are treated as public demand.

Prepared and submitted by CESUunder licence Condition No. 19.3 of Orissa Distribution License issued vide Commission’s order dt.27.10.2006 in Case No.21/2006  and approved by Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission vide it’s letter no. OERC/Engg/25/2006/2239 dt. 13.12.2007.

Note :- Where ever the words "the Licensee" is there, it has to be replaced by the name of respective Licensee.

Format-A

 CENTRAL ELECTRICITY SUPPLY UTILITY  OF ORISSA

IDCO TOWER, 2nd Floor, Janpath, Bhubaneswar –751022. Orissa .

Phone: 0674-2545681 ,  2541727, Fax: 0674-2543125

ELECTRICITY BILL FOR THE PERIOD: ______________________________________________
DIVISION:________________ SUB-DIVISION:_______________SECTION:________________

SIGNATURE OF THE OFFICER

- - - - - - - - - - - - CUT HERE - - - - - - - - - - - - -

DIVISION:________________ SUB-DIVISION:________________ SECTION:________________

CONSUMER NO:________________ BILL NO:_______________ DUE DATE:_______________

AMOUNT PAYABLE BY DUE DATE:_________ AMOUNT PAYABLE AFTER DUE

DATE:__________ PAYMENT RECEIPT NO:__________________ PAYMENT DATE_________

AMOUNT PAID ________________.

SIGNATURE OF THE OFFICER

INFORMATION