Delay in syncing data of Bihar discom leads to disruption in power supply

The delay in syncing of data after migration of postpaid energy consumers having credit balance, to prepaid, has led to disconnection of power supply, causing harassment to private consumers for no fault of theirs, said officials familiar with the development.

The delay in syncing of data after migration of postpaid energy consumers having credit balance, to prepaid, has led to disconnection of power supply, causing harassment to private consumers for no fault of theirs, said officials familiar with the development.

The state government has set discoms a target to convert its 23 lakh (approx) urban power consumers across Bihar’s 250 urban towns from postpaid to prepaid by December this year. (Picture for representation)

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Nisha Sinha and Ashok Kumar Sinha, a couple residing at Patna’s Tribhuwan Shanti Enclave apartment in Rajendra Nagar locality, had a postpaid credit balance of ₹11,954 against their energy connection (account No. 100787165) in January.

With an average monthly energy consumption of around ₹1,000 last year, the couple thought the advance payment against their energy bill would last them a year. However, to their dismay, power supply to the premises was disconnected the next month, three days after installation of a new smart, prepaid energy meter on February 24.

This was a “shock” the couple never expected from the South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (SBPDCL), the discom which supplies power in Patna.

“We did not get any intimation either through SMS or call on our registered mobile number prior to the disconnection of power supply,” said Nisha Sinha, a homemaker.

“We were totally clueless. Initially, I thought the power outage was due to some technical snag in the distribution system of the SBPDCL. It was only the next day we realised after enquiring with the Rajendra Nagar power sub-station that my postpaid energy meter was replaced with a prepaid one, and power supply disconnected due to non-payment because the post-paid credit balance of around ₹12,000 was not transferred to my prepaid account,” she said.

“It was only after I recharged with ₹2,000 the next day that power supply to my premises was restored. Till Sunday, however, my postpaid credit balance of ₹11,954 still did not reflect in my prepaid billing account,” Sinha said.

The north Bihar and the south Bihar power distributions companies limited, the two power discoms in the state, do not have an immediate solution to it. Their billing system does not allow syncing of data on a real-time basis at the time of migration of consumers from postpaid to prepaid, said a senior officer, requesting anonymity.

“Our smart prepaid billing system is configured to sync with our central billing server only once a month for accounting purpose at the time of generation of monthly energy bill. So, the maximum time lag for syncing of data can be one month in case of first-timers, who migrate from postpaid to prepaid connection. For subsequent bills, our payment gateway – both online and offline — is instantly synced with our prepaid billing software,” a discom official said.

“It is during this intervening period that power to a household will be disconnected if the consumer, despite having a postpaid credit balance, does not recharge one’s prepaid account the first time within three days of receiving the welcome message on one’s cellphone after installation of the smart prepaid energy meter,” the official said.

He accepted that the discoms did not visualise a situation where even postpaid consumers could pay in advance and have a credit balance when the outstanding amount of private consumers is ₹170 crore under Patna Electricity Supply Undertaking circle against ₹2,000 crore in the SBPDCL.

“Such a problem arises only the first time after conversion of energy meter from postpaid to prepaid for the 0.1% postpaid consumers who pay us in advance,” said the officer.

“Our prepaid billing software is designed to absorb the outstanding dues of 99.9% post-paid consumers over 300 days,” he said.

Bihar has over around 1.70 crore power consumers, of which 5.50 lakh have prepaid connection. The state government has set discoms a target to convert its 23 lakh (approx) urban power consumers across Bihar’s 250 urban towns from postpaid to prepaid by December this year.