UPPCL offers one-time settlement scheme for power consumers in commercial category

NOIDA: To provide some respite to power consumers in the commercial and industrial category who could not clear their outstanding dues owing to the Covid-19 crisis,

NOIDA: To provide some respite to power consumers in the commercial and industrial category who could not clear their outstanding dues owing to the Covid-19 crisis, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has asked all the distribution companies in the state to begin ‘Covid-19 one-time settlement (OTS)’ scheme for them. The scheme will be effective between December 15, 2020 and January 31, 2021.

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Earlier, the OTS scheme was applicable for urban and rural domestic consumers only, said officials of the Pashchimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PVVNL).

PVVNL chief engineer, Virendra Nath Singh, said, “The scheme has started from Tuesday and will continue till January 31. Under this scheme, the consumers of various commercial and industrial categories would get 100% waiver on surcharge on pending electricity bills up to November 30.”

The defaulters will have to clear the pending dues at one go, the officials said.

Singh further said that to avail the benefits of this scheme, the urban consumers will have to apply online with the office of the executive engineer or sub-divisional officer concerned, while in rural areas applications will have to be filed at the common service centre. “This facility will provide big relief to commercial and industrial category consumers, who could not clear their outstanding dues in the wake of pandemic. The scheme will also cover consumers who were slapped with a fine after an anomaly found during an electricity checking drive,” he said.

According to the officials, the scheme will benefit shops, hotels, restaurants, hostels, marriage halls, commercial establishments like cinema halls, banks, private hospitals and nursing homes, diagnostic centres, and schools, among others. The scheme will also benefit small and medium industrial units having a contracted load less than 100 HP (75 kW), and mushroom and other farming activities, they said.