Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2024

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-22022024-252303 EXTRAORDINARY PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (i) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 114] NEW DELHI, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2024/PHALGUNA 3, 1945 MINISTRY OF POWER NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 22nd February, 2024 G.S.R. 125(E)..—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1), 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:- 1. (1) These rules may be called the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2024. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) rules, 2020 (here in after referred to as the principal rules), in rule 2, in sub-rule (1),- (i) after clause (k), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:- '(ka) "owner" means the person who is having absolute right over the property and the expression owner includes the legal heirs'; (ii) after clause (mb), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:- "(mc) 'Resident Welfare Association' (here in after referred to as the Association) means an association comprising all the property owners within a Co-operative Group Housing Society, Multi storied Building,Residential Colony, or a similar body registered with the State Government." 3. In the principal rules, in rule 4,- (i) for sub-rule (11), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:- "(11)The Commission shall specify the maximum time period, after submission of application complete in all respects, not exceeding three days in metropolitan areas, seven days in other municipal areas and fifteen days in rural areas, within which the distribution licensee shall provide new connection or modify an existing connection: Provided that for rural areas of States and Union Territories having hilly terrain, the maximum time period for new connection or modification of an existing connection, after submission of application, complete in all respects, shall not exceed thirty days: Provided further that where such supply requires extension of distribution mains, or commissioning of new sub- stations, the distribution licensee shall supply the electricity to such premises immediately after such extension or commissioning within a period not exceeding ninety days. Explanation: For the purposes of this rule, the term 'States and Union Territories having hilly terrain' means the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh.” (ii) after sub-rule 13, the following sub-rules shall be inserted, namely:- "(14) Within the area covered under an Association: (a) The distribution licensee shall provide either a single point connection for the Association or individual connections for each and every owner, on the basis of choice of the majority of the houseor flat owners in such Association and the choice shall be ascertained by means of a transparent ballot to be held by the distribution licensee; Provided that if more than fifty percent of the owners prefer individual connection then individual connection shall be given to each owner. (b) the metering, billing, and collection shall be done separately for (i) individual electricity consumption sourced from the distribution licensee; (ii) individual consumption of back up power supplied by the Association; and (iii) electricity consumption for common area of such Association sourced from the distribution licensee. (c) In the case of a single point connection, the Association shall be responsible for metering, billing, and collection and for individual connections, these responsibilities shall vest with the distribution licensee. (d) In the case of a single point connection: (i) the charges deducted through pre-payment meters or bills raised by theAssociation for individual electricity consumption shall be on no-profit-no-loss basis. (ii) the distribution licensee's tariff for single point connection to Associations shall not exceed the average billing rate for low tension domestic category. (iii) the total billing done by Association for the electricity supplied by the distribution licensee shall not exceed the overall tariff paid to the distribution licensee. (iv) an additional amount as prescribed by the Appropriate Commission may be charged towards the sub-distribution network cost incurred for providing electricity up to the premises of the individual consumer.” (15) On the request of an Association or an owner of the flat or house in an Association or any other consumer, the distribution licensee shall provide a separate connection for supply of electricity for Electric Vehicle charging system; Explanation.- For the purposes of this sub-rule, it is clarified that the time line for providing this connection shall be in accordance with the sub-rule 11 of Rule 4.". 4. In the principal rules, in rule 5, for sub-rule (7), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:- "(7) The testing of meters shall be done by the distribution licensee within thirty days of receipt of the complaint from the consumer about their meter readings not being commensurate with his consumption of electricity, stoppage of meter, damage to the seal, burning or damage of the meter, and the like: Provided that in case of complaint by a consumer regarding meter reading not being commensurate with his consumption of electricity, distribution licensee shall install an additional meter within five days from the date of receipt of the complaint, to verify the consumption, for a minimum period of three months." 5. In the principal rules, in rule 11,- (i) for sub-rule (7), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:- "(7) For installation of roof top solar photo voltaic systems, the technical feasibility study shall be completed within a period of fifteen days and the outcome of the study shall be intimated to the applicant, failing which it shall be presumed that the proposal is technically feasible. (7A) The applications for roof top solar photo voltaic systems upto 10 kW capacity, complete in all respects shall be deemed to have been accepted without requiring technical feasibility study and any commensurate enhancement of the sanctioned load of the consumer, as may be required, shall be carried out by the distribution licensee."; (ii) for sub-rule (8), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:- (8) subject to sub-rule (7A), during the time period from the feasibility study or deemed acceptance of the application till the completion of installation, in case, there is any requirement of upgradation of distribution infrastructure like augmentation of service line, distribution transformer capacity, and the like for installation of the required capacity of roof top solar photo voltaic system, the same shall be carried out by the distribution licensee or consumer, as the case may be: Provided that the cost of strengthening the distribution infrastructure, including distribution transformer, as necessary, to facilitate the installation of roof top solar photovoltaic systemsup to a capacity of 5 kW or a higher capacity as prescribed by the State Commission, shall be included in the revenue requirement of the distribution licensee. (iii) for sub-rule (9), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:- "(9) After installation of roof top solar photovoltaic system, the consumer shall submit the installation certificate to such distribution licensee and such distribution licensee shall complete signing of connection agreement, installation of meter and successful commissioning of the roof top solar photovoltaic system within fifteendays from the date of submission of the installation certificate. (9A)The Formats of connection agreement and installation certificate shall be placed on web-portal of the distribution licensee." [F. No. 23/05/2020-R&R] SRIKANT NAGULAPALLI, Addl. Secy. Note : The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide number G.S.R. 818(E), dated the 31st December, 2020 and was last amended vide number G.S.R. 437(E), dated 14th June, 2023. Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.