Assam power cos see monthly revenue loss of Rs 300 cr due to defaults, theft

Assam is incurring a revenue loss of about Rs 300 crore every month due to non-payment of electricity bills or power theft by "unscrupulous" consumers.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said this after reviewing the functioning of three government-run power companies — Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL) and Assam Electricity Grid Corporation (AEGCL), in Guwahati on Monday.

"During the review of the three companies, it has been found that many consumers are either not paying the electricity bills or are applying unscrupulous means to steal power. It has been found that the APDCL is incurring a loss of at least Rs 300 crore every month due to such immoral and illegal practices," Sarma said.

Sarma said the APDCL is often compelled to move the Assam Electricity Regulatory Authority seeking further hike in power tariff in order to bridge the loss. "In that way, the consumers who are regularly and honestly paying the bills have to suffer due to hike in power tariff," he said.

Some consumers have been found to be using dubious methods to save electricity bills by tampering with electrical lines and energy meters, he said.

The CM said the department has already started the process to identify the defaulters and those adopting illegal means to cause loss to the power department. "We are also taking help of Gujarat electricity department and trying to take help of the best practices they adopted to reduce the loss and increase our revenue from the power supply," he said.