China Wholesale PPR FITTING Suppliers of the supply system

　　Kejri targets discoms again, gives them 6 months to upgrade network or face fines for 1-hr cuts.Chief minister Arvind Kej-riwal on Tuesday issued a ste waing to private power distribution companies that they will be made to compensate consumers for even one-hour outages of electricity supply if they do not spruce up their supply network within the next six months.However, the three discoms expressed their reservation in executing the order, saying upgradation of the entire power network would require a huge investment. The discoms also waed that due to the huge cost involved in the upgradation China Wholesale PPR FITTING Suppliers of the supply system, they would also appeal for a tariff hike.The DERC on Monday issued an order to the discoms that they must compensate consumers for unscheduled outages extending up to two hours. The notification said the compensation amount would range from `50 to `100 for each day of power outage.

　　Mr Kejriwal stressed on Tuesday there is a need to make the discoms "accou-ntable for the outages" and so that Delhiites will benefit from the privatisation of the power sector. "For now, we have asked the discoms to compensate consumers for unscheduled power cuts extending up to two hours, but after six months if there is no improvement in their power supply network, the govement will bring it down to one-hour norm," the chief minister said.The discoms, however, pointed out that the DERC order is impractical and the upgradation of the entire infrastructure is a long-winding process to fix accountability. "The power network will have to revamped to determine the reason for the outages — whether it is on account of distribution, transmission or generation failure or the consumer’s own installation failure. Who will determine whether the prescribed timelines have been exceeded or not in borderline cases and the cases where consumers do not want to seek compensation.

　　This is particularly so with regard to power supply related complaints where frivolous complaints cannot be ruled out," a discom official said.They added that this will require replacing the existing electricity meters with smart meters which on a conservative estimate may entail investment of a few thousand crores. "In Delhi, around 50 lakh meters will have to be replaced. Cost of a typical smart meter is six to eight times more than that of the meters being installed now. The replacement of the meters is a very time-consuming task. The entire process of monitoring, ground work required to improve the power network, supply system and installation of smart meters could take anywhere from 12 to 24 months."Hinting that a power tariff hike is inevitable, sources in the discoms said the power regulator will have to approve a cost that would reflect in the tariff, if they upgrade the system. "You can’t get world class accountable and reliable power supply with archaic systems and technology doesn’t come for free," a source said.