Discos to seize appliances, impose fines for power theft

The government has decided to allow electricity distribution companies (Discos) to confiscate electric appliances and equipment besides imposing heavy penalties like ‘detection bills’ equivalent to five years of power consumption against consumers and premises found in electricity theft to make up for the energy losses. The government has sent its decision to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) for amendments to the Consumer Service Manual (CSM) for notification and implementation. The regulator is expected to wind up the process within a month based on comments from the stakeholders in 10 days. The government has also asked the regulator to make changes in the CSM for the removal of multiple connections and separate electricity meters on residential premises that do not have direct and separate entrances from the main roads, first allowing the consumers to voluntarily apply for one Time-of-Use (TOU) meter at one house with single entry to be followed by compulsory removal along with costs. Under the proposed CSM, Discos would review all premises above 10-marla or equivalent where more than one connection already exists and serve 15-day notice to the consumers having more than one non-TOU meters to apply for the consolidation of load of existing connections to convert all non-TOU meters into ToU meter.