Residents of Delhi may soon be compensated for unscheduled power cuts
According to a proposed policy, electricity distribution firms will have to pay a penalty by the hour to consumers in case of such outages.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday approved a plan to compensate consumers for unscheduled power cuts, PTI reported.
The “pro-consumer” policy now needs Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal’s approval. In 2016, the Aam Aadmi Party government had said former Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had rejected such a plan to compensate consumers.
According to the policy, private electricity distribution companies will have to pay a penalty of Rs 50 for the second hour of an unscheduled power outage in Delhi and Rs 100 per hour from then on. They will be exempt from paying a fine for the first hour of such a power cut but only for one unscheduled outage a day.
The compensation will be adjusted against the monthly bill consumers pay. In case of non-payment, consumers can file a complaint with the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Authority and claim compensation of Rs 5,000 or five times the amount due, whichever is higher.
