Tamil Nadu: 45 lakh consumers yet to pay power bills, many to face disconnection

Tamil Nadu: 45 lakh consumers yet to pay power bills, many to face disconnection

TNN | Jul 17, 2020, 09.19 AM IST

CHENNAI: Morethan 11%of the power consumers in Tamil Nadu, about 45 lakh of 4.07 crore users, have not paid their bills despite Tangedco extending deadlines several times since the lockdown started.

The discom has now extended the deadline for paying power bills in six districts – Chennai, Chengelpet, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Madurai and Theni – to July 31. Consumers in other districts, who have failed to pay power bills, will face snapping of power connections starting from today, said a senior official in Tangedco. Their supply would be restored only after they pay the bills, he said.

Only 3.62 crore consumers had paid bills for the past four months till July 15, said the official. A sizeable segment of defaulters are commercial consumers. “Many are taking the deadlines lightly, hoping that it would be extended. Lockdown and financial crunch may be the reason for not paying bills on time. Tangedco, however, does not have the financial muscle to condone non-payment of bills,” said another official.

The discom has refused to provide any relief to consumers, who have to pay bills for four months at a go. “Oncelockdown started,Tangedcohad asked consumers to keep paying bills based on the previous billing cycle to avoid accumulation of huge amounts. The discom had said it would take meter readings and adjust the payment after the lockdown. A vast majority of people followed the instructions, but some did not bother to make timely payments,” said the official.

Commercial consumers have been demanding lowering of power tariff as their businesses have taken a beating. “I have just opened my shop after three months. Business is dull. Though my shop was closed, two weeks ago, I received a bill, running into several thousand rupees,” said M Rajaraman, a shop owner in Tambaram.

Tangedco received Rs 3,775 crore revenue in the first quarter of the current financial year from low tension consumers, said the official.