Chandigarh, January 28
The Haryana Power Department is set to usher in a new power distribution regime for group housing societies, residential colonies of employers and commercial-cum-residential complexes of developers. They will now be provided single-point bulk power supply by the electricity department.

With the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) finalising the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (Single Point Supply to Employers’ Colonies, Group Housing Societies and Residential or Commercial-cum-Residential Complexes of Developers) Regulations, 2013, the stage is set for the implementation of a new regime in the distribution of power.

Now, group housing societies and employers’ complexes would install a single electricity meter for power distribution and individual consumers would have sub-meters. “Group housing societies and residential complexes would install, operate and maintain all infrastructure required for distribution of electricity within the premises. 

The society management would be responsible for individual metering, billing, and collection of charges from individual users and payment of energy bills for single-point power supply to the discoms,” the official added. A majority of housing societies and residential complexes have an exclusive power distribution network in the form of transformers, high tension and low tension cables and service cables within their premises. As of now, only a few societies and residential complexes have single-point power supply under bulk supply category. However, in majority cases, residents have individual electricity connections/ meters installed by distribution companies.

A senior power department officer said the decision had been taken as officials of power distribution companies currently do not have free and unhindered access to these gated complexes manned by the security personnel. Due to restricted access, officials could not take effective steps to reduce commercial losses, which ultimately results in a higher tariff and affects the interests of honest consumers. Besides, there are frequent complaints from residents of harassment by power distribution company employees in connection with meter reading, billing and payment of bills, sources said.