Lights out for those who don’t pay their power bill regularly

Threatening harsh action against defaulting power consumers in the state whom they they blame for the load shedding that 19% of the state faces, the state power company Mahavitaran has decided to remove energy meters and service wires from the poles and premises of those who don’t pay for power from next month. HT reports.

Threatening harsh action against defaulting power consumers in the state whom they they blame for the load shedding that 19% of the state faces, the state power company Mahavitaran has decided to remove energy meters and service wires from the poles and premises of those who don’t pay for power from next month.

HT Image

The company, which caters to 1.90 crore consumers across the state hopes this will bring some level of fiscal discipline, the benefits of which can be passed on to paying consumers.

The company said the confiscated meters will be kept in the local power office till the defaulters pay up the amount due. The company will replace the confiscated electro-mechanical meters with radio-frequency and infra-red meters.

Mahavitaran officials said these defaulters forced the company to put off its plan to make the state power-cut free from December this year, and the dues will only increase if uninterrupted power is supplied to habitual nonpayers.

“Today, 81% of the state is load-shedding free and the company is working towards providing uninterrupted supply to the other 19% While the overall distribution and commercial losses are about 15%, certain areas have losses of more than 45%,” an official said.

Distribution and commercial losses are a result of power theft by those who do not pay their bills regularly.

“The company has set up a special team for this drive to improve the payment culture of consumers and bring thefts under control,” said Mahavitaran’s corporate communications office in a statement.