Hyderabad: The Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TGERC) on Saturday approved the distribution licence for the newly formed Telangana Rythu Power Distribution Company Limited (TGRPDCL), paving the way for the state’s third power distribution company dedicated to agricultural and water supply consumers. The commission directed the new discom to commence operations within four months from the date of its order.In its order, the TGERC made it clear that the restructuring would not affect existing benefits for farmers. It directed TGRPDCL to continue providing free power to agricultural consumers in line with the state’s policy, both now and in the future, and ruled out individual metering of agricultural pump sets.
“The formation of TGRPDCL is a restructuring of the existing govt-owned distribution companies intended to bring dedicated focus, better energy accounting and improved service to farmers and allied water supply consumers. It does not alter the benefits presently available to them,” the commission said.The Telangana govt had constituted TGRPDCL in March this year to exclusively serve agricultural consumers, lift irrigation schemes, Mission Bhagiratha, composite protected water supply schemes, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB), and municipal water supply connections having separate distribution transformers across the state. The commission had invited objections and suggestions through a public hearing held on May 29.To ensure uninterrupted services during the transition, the commission instructed the govt not to halt the release of new agricultural power connections.“The new connections shall not be withheld, delayed or denied during the transition. TGSPDCL and TGNPDCL will continue to receive applications and release new connections in the same manner as at present until TGRPDCL commences business,” the order stated.The TGERC also directed TGRPDCL to submit a comprehensive business plan within three months, covering load projections, loss reduction, interface metering, staffing and financial parameters. It instructed TGRPDCL, TGSPDCL and TGNPDCL to execute transition MoUs, service-level agreements and bulk supply agreements detailing operations and maintenance of assets, energy accounting, consumer data migration and interim power supply arrangements, and submit them for the commission’s approval.The commission further directed TGRPDCL to establish at least two consumer grievance redressal forums in accordance with existing regulations. Until these forums become operational, the grievance redressal forums of TGSPDCL and TGNPDCL will continue to handle complaints from consumers transferred to the new discom, ensuring uninterrupted access to grievance redressal.
