Electricity
(Rights Of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2022
[20th
April 2022]
In exercise of the
powers conferred under sub-section (1) read with clause (z) of sub-section (2)
of section 176 of the Electricity Act, 2003 (36 of 2003), the Central
Government hereby makes the following rules, further to amend the Electricity
(Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, namely:-
Rule - 1.
(1)
These rules may be called
the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2022.
(2)
They shall come into force
on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
Rule - 2.
In the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020 (hereinafter referred to
as the principal rules), in rule2, in sub-rule (1), -
(a)
after clause (f), the
following clauses shall be inserted, namely: -
(fa) "customer average interruption duration
index "means the average interruption duration of the sustained
interruptions for those who experienced interruptions during the reporting
period, as specified by the State Commission";
(fb)
"customer average interruption frequency index "means the average
interruption frequency of the sustained interruptions for those who experienced
interruptions during the reporting period, as specified by the State
Commission";
(b)
after clause (j), the
following clause shall be inserted, namely: -
(ja) "momentary
average frequency interruption frequency index "means the average number
of momentary interruptions per consumer occurring during the reporting period,
as specified by the State Commission";
(c)
after clause (m), the
following clauses shall be inserted, namely: -
(ma)
"system average interruption duration index “means the average duration of
the sustained interruptions per Consumer occurring during the reporting period,
as specified by the State Commission";
(mb)
"system average interruption frequency index" means the average
frequency of the sustained interruptions per Consumer occurring during the
reporting period, as specified by the State Commission";.
Rule - 3.
In the principal rules, in rule10,-
(a)
after sub-rule (2), the
following sub-rule shall be inserted, namely:-
"(3)
In view of the increasing pollution level
particularly in the metros and the cities with a population 100,000 and above,
the distribution licensee shall ensure 24x7 uninterrupted power supply to all
the consumers, so that there is no requirement of running the diesel
generatorsets and accordingly, the State Commission shall give trajectory of
system average interruption frequency index and system average interruption
duration index for such cities.
(4)
The State Commission may consider the customer
average interruption duration index, customer average interruption frequency
index and momentary average interruption frequency index as additional
indicators of reliability of supply and the minimum interruption time for
calculation of additional reliability indicators shall be as specified by the
State Commission and in case the interruption time is not specified by the
State Commission, three minutes shall be considered as interruption time for
calculating the additional reliability indicators.
(5)
The State Commission shall have an
online mechanism for reviewing and monitoring of reliability indices of
distribution licensees and such Commission may consider a separate reliability
charge for the distribution company, if they require funds for investment in
the infrastructure for ensuring the reliability of supply to the consumers.
(6)
The consumers, who are using the diesel
generator sets as essential back up power, shall endeavour to shift to cleaner
technology such as renewable energy with battery storage and the like in five
years from the date of commencement of these rules or as per the timelines
given by the State Commission for such replacement based on the reliability of
supply in that city covered under area of supply of the distribution licensee.
(7)
The process of giving temporary
connections to the consumers for construction activities or any temporary usage
and the like shall be simplified by the distribution licensee and given on an
urgent basis and not later than forty eight hours and within seven days in case
augmentation of the distribution system is required and this shall avoid any
use of diesel generator sets for temporary activities in the area of the
distribution licensee.
(8)
The temporary connection shall be
through a prepayment meter or through consumer meters as defined in the Central
Electricity Authority (Installation and Operation of Meters) Regulations as
amended from time to time".