The two utilities performed poorly in first half of current fiscal. The two power distribution companies in the State — TSSPDCL and TSNPDCL — which are expected to file their retail supply tariff along with aggregate revenue requirement for 2019-20 financial year soon before the Electricity Regulatory Commission have fallen short of the targets in reducing the technical and commercial losses as also bridging supply cost-revenue gap.
According to the progress card prepared by the Union Ministry of Power on the performance of the two power distribution companies, a quarterly exercise taken up following their joining the Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) in January 2017, for the quarter ending September 30 this year the two utilities have failed to meet even baseline goals in the two key areas, leave alone achieve the targets.
The combined aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses of the two Discoms at the end of first half of 2018-19 fiscal have been put at 13.41% as against the baseline of 13.5% and target of 9.72%.
Individually, the achievement of Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd (TSSPDCL) is 13.32% and that of Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd (TSNPDCL) is 13.5%.
Official sources stated that introduction of 24×7 supply to farm sector from January 1 this year has impacted the technical and commercial losses, which were at a relatively healthy level of 12.79% at the end of September last year.
However, the AT&C losses at September-end this year are lesser compared to the losses that stood at the end of other quarters since the Discoms joined UDAY.
Similarly, the gap between Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and Average Revenue Realised (ARR) at the end of September 30 period has been put at ₹0.85 per unit against baseline of ₹0.55 per unit and target of ₹0.15 per unit.
Individually, the revenue gap of both the distribution companies has been put quite high at ₹1 per unit in TSSPDCL and ₹0.52 per unit in TSNPDCL.
The two power utilities, however, made good progress in terms of distribution transformer metering both in rural and urban areas. They performed well in giving electricity access to unconnected households and distribution of LED bulbs under UJALA scheme.
The two Discoms are also found wanting in respect of feeder segregation, rural feeder auditing and smart metering aspects. #KhabarLive
