TERC directs TSECL to strengthen grievance redressal, recover outstanding electricity dues and address billing concerns as Tripura consumers protest high bills and smart meter issues.
The Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission (TERC) has directed the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) to establish a multi-layered public grievance redressal mechanism and intensify efforts to recover outstanding electricity dues amid growing complaints over unusually high power bills. The regulatory commission has also asked the power distribution company to improve communication with consumers and address billing-related grievances more effectively.
The directions come at a time when TSECL has been facing mounting criticism from consumers across Tripura over what many claim are sharp and unexplained increases in electricity bills. Several consumers have alleged that their bills have increased manifold, creating considerable financial pressure and fuelling public dissatisfaction with the power distribution company.
Sources in TERC said the commission has taken note of the growing public anger and has directed TSECL to adopt a series of measures aimed at restoring direct communication between its officials and consumers. The measures are expected to provide consumers with accessible channels through which billing discrepancies, technical problems and other electricity-related grievances can be raised and resolved.
The issue has also received attention at the highest level of the state government. Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath recently held separate meetings with officials of the Power Department and TERC Chairman Hemant Verma to review the situation and discuss steps to address the concerns of aggrieved consumers.
According to sources, TERC has repeatedly issued directions and guidelines to TSECL, but the corporation has not implemented some of them effectively. The commission has now stressed that TSECL must improve its functioning, particularly in areas concerning consumer services, billing and recovery of outstanding dues.
The recent electricity tariff structure, according to the sources, was approved by TERC after considering a petition submitted by TSECL. The corporation had sought approval to collect Rs 1,709 crore from consumers through fixed charges and a regulatory surcharge.
A calculation by TERC showed that approval of the entire proposed amount would have resulted in a 147 per cent increase in fixed charges. Taking consumer interests into consideration, the commission rejected the proposal in its original form. Instead, it approved Rs 479 crore, which represented a potential overall increase of around 47 per cent. However, TSECL was not directed to impose the entire increase immediately.
For the current year, a partial increase of slightly more than 10 per cent, amounting to approximately Rs 117 crore, was approved. The revised structure was introduced with the objective of rationalising charges while taking into consideration the financial requirements of the power distribution system and the interests of consumers.
The structure of fixed charges was also modified from 2026. Earlier, fixed charges were collected on a per-connection, per-month basis. Under the revised system, the charge is calculated according to the sanctioned load capacity of the electricity connection. For domestic consumers, the fixed charge has been set at Rs 70 per kilowatt per month.
However, concerns have emerged over the manner in which fixed charges are being deducted from prepaid electricity meters. According to TERC sources, instances have been noticed where consumers recharging their prepaid meters twice in a month have had the fixed charge deducted twice. The commission has indicated that such a practice is contrary to its recommendations and guidelines because the fixed charge is intended to apply on a monthly basis.
The per-kilowatt-per-month method of calculating fixed charges is followed across the country, and the rate approved for Tripura is reportedly comparable with the prevailing standards in other northeastern states.
Meanwhile, TERC sources said tariff revision and recovery of accumulated losses have become essential for TSECL to comply with directives and guidelines issued by the central government. The corporation must also fulfil several performance-related criteria to qualify for financial assistance under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).
The RDSS is a result-linked programme under which distribution companies are required to demonstrate improvements in their operational and financial performance to become eligible for grants. TSECL, therefore, needs to improve its efficiency, reduce losses and strengthen revenue collection to meet the prescribed requirements.
One of the major concerns identified by TERC is the recovery of outstanding electricity bills. Sources said TSECL has failed to recover outstanding dues from nearly 50 per cent of consumers. In several cases, consumers receiving bills amounting to around Rs 1 lakh reportedly paid only Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 after proper adjustments were made.
Such instances, sources said, demonstrate the need for TSECL to distinguish between genuine outstanding dues and bills inflated because of technical problems, meter-related issues or billing errors. Instead of allowing disputes to accumulate, the corporation has been asked to establish effective channels of communication with consumers and resolve complaints through proper verification.
To strengthen public engagement, TERC has directed TSECL to introduce a dedicated grievance redressal initiative under which senior officials would directly interact with consumers. Officers ranging from the Managing Director to senior managers have reportedly been asked to spend two hours twice a week listening to public complaints and taking steps to resolve them.
The initiative is proposed to be conducted under the banner ‘TSECL at Your Doorstep’. The programme is expected to provide consumers with an opportunity to directly approach senior officials regarding billing disputes, payment issues, meter-related complaints and other electricity service concerns.
Smart meter installation has also emerged as a major area of contention. TERC sources said TSECL should have followed a more scientific and phased approach while introducing smart meters instead of installing them rapidly among consumers.
| Also Read: Honest consumer pays for lost units, the TSECL story |
According to the regulatory commission’s view, consumers should first have been adequately sensitised about the functioning and advantages of smart meters. A phased implementation could have begun with installations at the residences of TSECL employees. Feedback from the initial phase could then have been used to identify technical or operational issues before expanding the programme to the wider public.
The commission believes that the lack of adequate consumer awareness and the rapid rollout of smart meters contributed to the growing public dissatisfaction.
| Also Read: Tripura to celebrate 80th I-Day with grand state-wide programmes |
With public concerns over electricity bills continuing to rise, TERC’s latest directions put greater responsibility on TSECL to improve consumer services, ensure transparent billing, recover legitimate outstanding dues and strengthen communication. The effectiveness of the proposed grievance redressal mechanism and the ‘TSECL at Your Doorstep’ initiative will now be closely watched as the corporation seeks to rebuild consumer confidence while meeting regulatory and financial obligations.
