Kerala State Electricity Board
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1 CONSUMER GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL FORUM CENTRAL REGION (Formed under Section 42(5) of the Electricity Act 2003) 220 kV Substation Compound, HMT Colony P.O. Kalamassery, Pin – 683 503 Phone No. 0484-2556500 Website: cgrf.kseb.in, Email: [email protected], CUG No. 9496008719 Present (1) Smt.Soudamini B Chairperson (2) Smt. S.N.Sheeba. Member (3) Sri. Jefrin Manuel Member Petitioner Smt. K.V. Mariamma, M/s. Kallungal Trading Company, Oorakkad, Malayidamthuruthu P.O., Ernakulam, Pin – 683 561 Respondent 1) The Asst.Exe. Engineer, Electrical Sub Division, Kizhakkambalam 2) The Asst. Engineer, Electrical Section, KSEBL, Edathala. ======================================================== No.CGRF-CR/OP No.32/2020-21 Date : 17-12-2020 O R D E R Background of the case: The petitioner, Smt. Mariamma.K.V., M/s Kallungal Trading Company, Oorakkad, Malayidamthuruth P.O., Ernakulam – 683561, is an industrial consumer with Consumer No.-17548 and a Contract Demand of 100 kVA, under the jurisdiction of Electrical Section, Edathala. The petitioner challenges the audit bill she received for an amount of Rs.3,32,123/- by the respondent on 07- 08-2020 which directs to pay the bill on or before 26-08-2020. The petitioner states that the demand is assessed under the heads of Deemed HT Demand which has been assessed for the period from 01/2016 to 11/2016 and the Voltage Surcharge for the period from 05/2017 to 02/2018. Thus the complainant submitted a detailed objection against this bill informing that they are permitted 2 to use up to 110 kVA. In the place of a single phase meter, the complainant was insisted to change to three phase meter and thus connected with a ToD meter. The petitioner argues that there is a serious latch by the licensee in assessing the demand within three years from 01/2016 and therefore the bill is hit by the principles of Law of Limitation. The petitioner argues that the discrepancies found by the licensee while auditing was for a period up to 17-04- 2017; but was issued only on 07-08-2020, which is after three years from the due date. Also the demand for voltage surcharge amounting Rs.91,875/- was for a period assessed from 05/2017 to 02/2018 and the demand was issued only on 07- 08-2020 and that too without conducting any proper inspection. The petitioner also states that she was issued with a penal bill alleging tariff misuse on 12-07- 2016 and demanded Rs.1932613/- and ultimately it was concluded in Complaint No.236/2016 by the Appellate Authority reducing it to Rs.613262/-; thus concluding that the demand was an allegation of exceeding the usage of the permitted kVA which is not legally sustainable in the absence of any cogent evidence. The petitioner also states that as per Reg.153 (15) of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 2014, “any unauthorized additional load in the same premises under the same tariff shall not be reckoned as unauthorized use of electricity and for the exceeded usage of additional load penal charges were collected along with the regular bills”. The petitioner states that the demand was made without any proper inspections and calculations and that the licensee failed in issuing any notice informing the excess usage of additional loads and directing to regularize the additional loads. Subsequently, statement of facts was called for and the same was submitted by the respondent on 25-11-2020. The Forum afforded an opportunity to hear the Petitioner and Respondent on 30-11-2020. Both the petitioner and the respondent were present for hearing. Version of the Respondent: The complainant is a consumer under Electrical Section, Edathala bearing Consumer No.-17548 under LT VI A tariff with a connected load of 99KW and 3 contract demand 100 kVA. Date of connection of this consumer is on 26-02- 2003. The Consumer was originally having Consumer No.-17548 under Ele. Section, Kizhakkambalam and has been transferred to Ele. Section, Edathala during bifurcation on 28-04-2017 with Consumer No.-1157503000158. On 12- 07-2016, the APTS, Thrissur, inspected the premises of Consumer No.-17548 and found that the consumer is having a connected load of 148 KW than the Sanctioned 99 kW. Therefore, a provisional bill was issued for Rs.19,32,613/- under Section 126 of Electricity Act, 2003, for a period of 12 months preceding the date of inspection. Later, the final assessment was served for Rs.6,13,262/- on 12-08-2016. The consumer filed an Appeal vide No.236/2016 before the Appellate Authority. As per the Order No.AP-236/2016/order/2797/ dated13- 01-2017, the final assessment Order No.DB/inspection/KBLM/16-17/81 dated 12/08/2016 issued by the Assistant Engineer, Ele. Section, Kizhakkambalam, was declared as in order and the Appellant challenged the order before the Hon. High court of Kerala viz. WP(c) No. 4813/2017. The consumer remitted 50% of the final assessment ie.Rs.3,06,631/- and the balance amount is 3,06,631/-. On 07-08-2020, based on the Audit report of RAO, a short assessment bill for Rs.332123/- was served to the consumer by the Assistant Engineer, Ele. Section, Edathala. This include deemed HT demand charge up to 17-04-2017 for Rs.240248/- and Low Voltage surcharge from 05/2017 to 02/2018 for Rs.91875/- . Thus the total short assessment comes to Rs.3,32,123/-. The complainant being an LT consumer, the Contract Demand of the consumer shall not exceed 100 kVA as per Regulation (8) of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 2014. Since the contract demand of the complainant is 100 kVA, he is bound to limit the RMD within 100 kVA. But the complainant exceeded the contract demand regularly which attracted Deemed HT charges vide clause-9 of the General conditions for HT and EHT Tariff, under Part-B – HT and EHT Tariff of the Tariff Order dated 14-08-2014, and low voltage surcharge as per Regulation 9 of Electricity Supply Code 2014. 4 Clause-9 of the General conditions for HT&EHT Tariff, under Part-B - HT& EHT Tariff of the Tariff Order dated 14-08-2014 provides that “In the case of Deemed HT consumers, the tariff applicable shall be demand charges of respective HT category and energy charges of respective LT category” and Regulation 9 of Electricity Supply Code 2014 states that “consumers availing supply at voltage lower than the one specified in regulation 8 for the respective limits of connected load or contract demand shall pay low voltage supply surcharge to the licensee at the rates as approved by the Commission from time to time in the tariff order”. As per the tariff order dated 17-04-2017 vide Order No.1007/F & T/KSERC/2016 dated 17-04-2017, the low voltage surcharge applicable to the complainant is 150/kVA/month. The KSEB Ltd, as per its Order dated 31.07.1999 stipulated that “Connection at low tension shall be provided for connected load not exceeding 150kVA and where connected load exceeds 150kVA but not exceed 3000 kVA, the connection shall be provided at High tension”. This is in force till the implementation of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 2005. As per the sub Regulation (5) of Regulation (4) of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code 2005, new connections of LT supply will be given for connected load up to 100 kVA only. New connections with connected load above 100kVA will be given only at HT. The Commission vide the Kerala Electricity Supply Code (fourth amendment) Regulation 2008, permitted the existing consumers as on the date of implementation of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 2005 on 02.03.2005, to operate up to a load of 150kW. The Commission vide the letter dated 16.12.2008 further clarified that, all the consumers existing as on 02.03.2005, i.e., on the date of implementation of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 2005 may be permitted to operate at LT up to 150 kVA. Subsequently, the Commission repealed the Supply Code, 2005 and notified Supply Code 2014 on 31.01.2014. As per Regulation 11 (1) of Supply Code, 2014, the maximum load that can be connected at LT is limited to 100kVA. Further as per the proviso to Regulation 11(1), „low tension consumer who, as on the date of implementation of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 5 2005, had a sanctioned load exceeding the limit of 100kVA, may be permitted to continue at LT, subject to realization of low voltage supply surcharge, to operate with the same sanctioned load at the same voltage level of supply until an upward revision of connected load is sought for by the consumer. The Commission vide the Kerala Electricity Supply Code (Removal of difficulties) third order, 2014, the following proviso has been inserted. “Provided that the consumers existed on the date of implementation of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 2005, and who were permitted to operate at low tension up to a connected load or contract demand of 150kVA in accordance with clause (b) of sub-regulation (5) of the regulation 4 of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code(Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2008) shall be allowed to operate at the same voltage level and connected load or contract demand subject to realization of low voltage surcharge until an upward revision of connected load or contract demand is granted on application submitted by the consumer or become otherwise necessary.” Since the complainant‟s RMD has been exceeding more than 100 kVA from 2016, he is liable to pay „Deemed HT charges‟ up to 16-4-2017 and from 17-4-2017 onwards the complainant is liable to pay low voltage surcharge.