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Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum State Electricity Board - Southern Region, Vydyuthi Bhavanam, Kottarakkara ______No: CGRF/KTR/OP.No.734/2012/1372 Date:16 .6.2012. ______From

Chairperson To The Assistant Executive Engineer, Electrical Sub Division, K.S.E Board, /Sasthamkottah.

Sub: - Releasing of order of disposal of OP.No.734/2012.

Ref: - B.O (FB) No.585/2006 (LA.II/1173/2006) dated 25.2.2006. Sir,

Enclosed the order of disposal of petition filed by The Managing Director, M/s. Travancore paper Mills in O.P.No.734/12 for further action. Yours faithfully,

CHAIRPERSON DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER CGRF (SOUTH)

Copy to:- 1. The Managing Director, M/s. Travancore Paper Mills (P) Ltd, Kaduvinal P.O., Vallikunnam, (Dist). 2. The Deputy Chief Engineer, Electrical Circle, . 3. The Executive Engineer, Electrical Division, Karunagappally. 4. The Assistant Executive Engineer, Electrical Sub Division, Sasthamkottah.

______Office: CGRF(S), Vydyuthi Bhavanam, Kottarakkara, Pin – 691 506 Web site: cgrf.kseb.in E- mail: [email protected] , Phone: 0474 – 2451300 - 2 -

CONSUMER GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL FORUM (SOUTH), KOTTARAKKARA ------Present: 1. Sri.R.Suku, Deputy Chief Engineer, Chairperson 2. Smt. Beena Pious, Executive Engineer, Member Friday the 25 th day of May 2012 OP No.734/2012

Between

Petitioner: The Managing Director, M/s.Travancore Paper Mills (P) Ltd, Kaduvinal P.O., Vallikunnam, Alappuzha (Dist).

And Respondent: The Assistant Executive Engineer, Electrical Sub Division, Oachira/Sasthamkottah.

Grievance of the Petitioner

The petitioner is the Managing Director of M/s. Travancore Paper Mills (P) Ltd, Vallikunnam, who is aggrieved by frequent power failure to the industrial premises. A similar complaint had been lodged in this forum vide OP No.626/2011 and the forum issued an order directing the opposite parties to speed up the works of drawing a new feeder from the Vallikunnam 33KV Substation. As such the opposite parties have agreed to do so and thereby redress the grievance of the petitioner. Now the petitioner has come up with the same complaint of frequent power failure and the new line has not been completed yet, and due to this, they are facing heavy production loss at the factory. In support of their argument, they have submitted the recovery statement from their Bankers and also a detailed report of power interruption. Hence they pray for an immediate remedy for their grievances.

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Version of the Opposite Party The Opposite party filed a version as follows. The petitioner is a HT consumer under Electrical Section, Manappally and is fed from Thodiyoor 11KV feeder of Sasthamcotta Substation. Thazhava 11KV feeder from 66KV Substation Karunagappally is maintained as alternate feeder. A new 11KV feeder from Vallikunnam 33 KV Substation is already constructed for this particular consumer, for avoiding interruption, as normal feeding arrangement. As per the rules and the bilateral agreement between the petitioner and the Board, maintaining uninterrupted power supply is not obligatory. As per Reg.45 (2) (b) of Terms and Conditions of Supply 2005, voltage variation can be - 9% to + 6% incase of HT consumers. The industry is located at the fag end of both Thodiyoor & Thazhava 11KV feeders and yet 10.3 KV is maintained even at peak load hours. As per the statement of power failure submitted by the petitioner, outage during 2011-12 is only 3.12% including scheduled outages. Supply interruptions are inevitable due to interruption at (1) Generating stations, (2) 220/110 KV feeders (3) Substation (4) 11KV feeders due to switching off feeders of break down and maintenance works. Tripping & switching off cannot be avoided due to safety reasons. It is also stated that the petitioner has to arrange alternate arrangements for ensuring uninterrupted power supply, at his premises. The petitioner can opt for a dedicated 11KV feeder using UG cable at his cost, which ensures stable power supply to his premises. The 33KV Substation at Vallikunnam is nearing completion and is expected to be commissioned on the 2 nd week of June 2012, and interruption to the petitioner’s premises can be considerably reduced and electric power with improved voltage level can be provided, since the Substation is comparatively near to the petitioner’s premises.

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Hence it is stated that there is no deficiency of service from the part of KSE Board. Discussion and Findings Both the parties were present for the hearing on 25/5/2012 and the petitioner was adamant in their arguments regarding the intermittent power failure in the factory premises. The opposite party Assistant Executive Engineer, Oachira substantiated that the average occurrence of power failure had been considerably lesser than the previous years and the permanent solution is the commissioning of 33KV Substation at Vallikunnam, which is expected to be commissioned in the 2 nd week of June 2012. Also it was proposed that the petitioner could opt for an underground 11KV feeder which could ensure stable power supply to the petitioner’s premises. The opposite party stated also that the power interruptions were not intentional and were only due to the unforeseen reasons. The forum also views that a solution to the problem of power interruptions faced by the petitioner, is the commissioning of the new 33KV Substation at Vallikunnam. Moreover, the petitioner could not substantiate the voltage variations as claimed in the petition and also at the time of hearing. The liability notices from the petitioner’s Banker can not be solely attributed to the faults of the opposite party, that they had supplied power with regular interruptions. The forum rejects such an argument. The forum also shares the grievances of the petitioner and the redressal of the grievance can be done only by the commissioning of the new Substation, as stated by the opposite party. ORDER In view of the above facts and circumstances, the petition stands closed. No order as to cost. If the petitioner is not satisfied with the above order of this

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Forum, he/she is at liberty to prefer appeal before the Electricity Ombudsman within 30 days from the date of receipt of this order. The address of the Electricity Ombudsman is furnished below. State Electricity Ombudsman, Pallikkavil Buildings, Mamangalam- Anchumana Temple Road, Opp:Kochi Corporation Regional Office, Edappally, Kochi – 682 024, Ph: 0484 -2346488.

Sd/- Sd/- BEENA PIOUS R.SUKU EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, CHAIRPERSON MEMBER DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER

Forwarded

CHAIRPERSON (DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER) CGRF (SOUTH), KOTTARAKKARA.