Riyaz Bhat
Srinagar, Jan 1: The Power Development Department (PDD) has directed the JPDCL and KPDCL to initiate strict actions including deducting up to 50 percent of salary against the officials of divisions and feeders where Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses exceed 40 percent.
Besides, the department has issued the revised Load Curtailment Plan (LPC) with extra hours of power shedding to the areas having AT&C losses of more than 40 percent and between 15 percent and 40 percent respectively.
PDD in an official communique said that the measures are been taken in order to improve billing efficiency, collection efficiency and to reduce AT&C losses
Stating the revision of Load Curtailment Plan (LCP), PDD said the current plan may be revised by imposing no power cut on feeders having AT&C losses below 15 percent.
“Three hours power cut instead of the present scheduled cut of two hours on feeders having AT&C losses between 15 percent and 40 percent and six hours power cut instead of the present power cut of four hours on feeders having AT&C losses above 40 percent for both Kashmir and Jammu divisions,” it reads.
PDD further said that JKPCL shall explore other options, including entering into additional banking arrangements with other states for the period January 2026 to March 2026 in order to curtail the power purchase bill.
Under the accountability of underperforming divisions and sub- divisions, the DISCOMs, the JPDCL KPDCL were asked to serve show-cause notices to all divisions and sub-divisions and feeders found to be under performing that is where AT&C losses exceed 40 percent, under intimation to the Administrative Department.
“Further, action may be initiated for deduction of 50 percent of salary of the concerned officers or the officials of such divisions, sub-divisions or feeders,” it reads.
“Simultaneously, steps shall be taken to enhance billing efficiency upto 90 percent and to ensure 100 percent bill distribution among both metered and non-metered power consumers,” PDD said.
About the monitoring of prepaid smart meter billing, the JPDCL and KPDCL DISCOMs have been asked to maintain a proper account of energy (in MUs) billed through prepaid smart meters and ensure installation of prepaid smart meters for all high-power consumers on or before 31.01.2026.
“JPDCL and KPDCL shall constitute dedicated teams to verify feeder-wise AT&C losses vis-à-vis input energy and furnish detailed divisions, subdivisions or feeders where AT&C losses exceed 40 percent,” it reads.
In addition, the DISCOMs have been directed to constitute teams to verify load agreements in non-metered areas through phone, video recordings as evidence. “In cases where it is found that more electrical gadgets are in use than permitted under the approved load agreement, the practice of seizing equipment shall be avoided and instead, the load agreement shall be revised on the spot.”
Pertinently, on Monday it was reported that PDD is likely to announce a new power curtailment schedule for consumers in the Kashmir division, which will include extra hours of load shedding in the high AT&C losses.
Sources had informed that Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) was devising a new power curtailment plan that is likely to be rolled out in coming days. (KNO)
