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COMPLAINT HANDLING PROCEDURES RELATING
TO DISTRIBUTION AND RETAIL SUPPLY
(APPROVED BY DERC ON 3rd JUNE 2003)
1. Introduction:
This “Complaint Handling Procedure relating to Distribution
and Retail Supply” as approved by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission
is hereby adopted by the licensee.
2. Nature of complaints:
• No current/failure of power supply
• Voltage fluctuations
• Load shedding/scheduled outages
• Scheduled outages/ load shedding
• Metering Problems
• Billing Problems
3. Where to lodge Complaints:
The contact telephone number(s) where consumers can lodge their
complaints as also the name and contact telephone number of the Asst. Engineer
concerned, who can be approached in case of delay in the redressal of complaint
would be notified as under :
• By display/dissemination of the above information on
separate handouts attached to the electricity bills from time to time
• By display of the above information at the Bill collection centres
• By Display on the company Website
4. No Current/failure of power supply
Power supply in premises could fail due to one of the following
reasons, which could be attributed to Distribution Companies (DISCOM):
i. Fuse blown out tripping of MCB
ii. Burnt meter
iii. Service line broken
iv. Service line snapped from pole
v. Fault in distribution mains
vi. Distribution transformer failed/burnt
vii. HT mains failed
viii. Problem in grid (33 kV or 66 kV) substation
ix. Planned/scheduled/emergency Maintenance work.
x. Load Shedding
 In case
of failure or interruption of power supply, complaint can be lodged over the
telephone to the Centralized Call Center of the Licensee giving the details
of name, address and brief nature of the complaint.
“No
supply” complaints received at the Centralized Call Center shall be immediately
acknowledged by providing a unique complaint number to the complainant. The
Centralized Call Center shall keep a detailed log of all complaints received in
a database/ register.
In case
the Centralized Call Center is aware that the complaint is due to any of the
reasons listed at (v)-(x) above, he shall inform the complainant the reason(s)
for power failure and also indicate the approximate time required for restoration
of power supply. Nevertheless, he shall register each complaint received and
issue a unique complaint number for such complaints also.
The
Centralized Call Center shall communicate the complaint to the mobile service
groups at the concerned Service Centers. The mobile service group would then
proceed to the address provided by the complainant, investigate the cause of
complaint and resolve the problem. Upon resolution of the complaint, the complaint-receiving
center (No-current Complaint centre / Centralized Call Center) shall be informed
of the status.
In case,
the cause of the complaint is more severe, due to any reason(s) listed at (v)-(x)
above, the Mobile service group shall inform the nature of the fault and approximate
time required for rectification to the complainant and also to the Centralized
Call Center. He shall also inform the next higher authority to take appropriate
action to deploy additional resources and materials to resolve the complaint.
All
complaints shall be monitored by the Centralized Call Center regarding resolution
of the complaint within the stipulated time limit as given below:
Nature
of cause of power supply failure |
Maximum
Time Limit for restoration. |
| Fuse blown out or MCB tripped
|
Within 3 hours
Suburban – 8 hours |
Service line broken
Service line snapped from the pole |
Within 6 hours
Suburban – 12 hours |
| Fault in distribution mains |
Temporary Supply to be restored within
4 hours from alternate source, wherever feasible.
Rectification of fault and thereafter
Restoration of power supply within 12 hours |
Distribution transformer failed/burnt |
Temporary Restoration of supply through
mobile transformer or another backup source within 8 hours, wherever feasible
Replacement of failed transformer within
48 hours |
| HT mains failed |
Temporary restoration of power supply
within 4 hours, wherever feasible.
Rectification of fault within 12 hours |
| Problem in grid (33 kV or 66 kV) substation
|
Restoration of supply from alternate
source, wherever feasible within 6 hours
Roster load shedding may be carried out to avoid overloading of alternate
source.
Repair and restoration of supply within
48 hours |
| Failure of Power Transformer |
Restoration of supply from alternate
source, wherever feasible within 6 hours
Roster load shedding may be carried out to avoid overloading of alternate
source.
Replacement action to be intimated to
DERC within 72 hours |
| Burnt meter |
Restoration of supply by bypassing the burnt meter within 6 hours
Replacement of burnt meter within 3 days |
In case no information is received by the complaint-receiving center within the
stipulated time given above, the Call Centre shall escalate the complaint to the
concerned Executive Engineer.
The
escalation process shall be inbuilt within the system and the calls shall escalate
automatically every two hours up to the level of GM (Operations) using the server-based
system until the resolution of the complaint is logged. All complaint-handling
officers shall be provided with mobile wireless based communication devices
for the dissemination of complaint related information.
The
concerned authority would then appraise the call center about the resolution
of complaint.
In the
event that the next higher authority is unavailable or is unable to resolve
the problem within the stipulated time, the complaint will be escalated, through
the proper channel, to the General Engineer (Operations).
Daily
MIS reports shall be provided to the CEO, the GM (Operations) and DGM / Chief
Engineers (Distribution) giving the status of pending complaints. MIS reports,
giving category-wise total number of complaints received and details of the
complaints which could not be attended within the stipulated time, along with
reasons thereof, shall be submitted to the Commission on quarterly basis.
5. Voltage Complaints
In the
case of Low / High voltage, the complaint should be lodged at the Centralised
Call Centre giving name, address of the complainant along with brief nature
of the problem faced. The operator on duty shall register the complaint and
intimate the complaint number in every case.
The
Centralized Call Centre shall communicate the complaint to the mobile service
groups at the concerned Service Centres. The mobile service group would then
proceed to the address provided by the complainant, investigate the cause of
complaint and resolve the problem.
In case
problem is local e.g. due to loose connection of service line, the mobile group
shall rectify the fault themselves. In case the voltage problem is due to some
other reason(s), such as, deficiency in the system, the mobile group shall bring
this to the notice of the Area Assistant Engineer.
The
Area Assistant Engineer shall ascertain if the problem can be rectified by changing
the Tap position of the transformer, and if possible, he shall do so after getting
the approval from the Executive Engineer. However, in case the Assistant Engineer
find that problem is due to deficiency in the distribution system requiring
up-gradation of distribution lines, transformers, capacitors etc., he shall
inform the Executive Engineer for taking further necessary action.
The voltage problem shall be resolved with the
time limits specified in Table given below:
S.No. |
Cause of Problem related
to voltage variation |
Time limit for the
rendering service |
Authorised Person |
Next higher level for
complaint |
1 |
Local problem |
Within 4 hours |
Assistant Engineer |
Executive Engineer |
2 |
Tap of transformer |
Within 3 days |
Assistant Engineer |
Executive Engineer |
3 |
Repair of distribution
line / transformer / capacitor |
Within 60 days
|
Assistant Engineer |
Executive Engineer |
4 |
Installation & Up-gradation
of HT / LT System |
Within 180 days |
Assistant Engineer |
Executive Engineer |
The licensee shall submit quarterly MIS reports
giving category-wise number of complaints received and the complaints, which
could not be resolved within the stipulated time and reasons thereof.
6. Scheduled outages/load shedding:
In case
of frequent load shedding or scheduled outages (excluding statutory power cuts),
amounting to more than 12 hours on any day, the complaint can be lodged with
the Executive Engineer of the concerned area in the format given at Annexe.
The Executive Engineer shall acknowledge the receipt of such complaint and arrange
to prevent such recurrences.
7. Metering Problems
(i) Where meter has been provided by the Licensee
As per
Section 26 of the Indian Electricity Act 1910, the responsibility of installing
a standard meter on demand and its maintenance is that of the licensee and hence,
the Licensee is required to check the meter for proper functioning at regular
intervals. However, if a consumer has reasons to believe that the meter is not
functioning properly, he may file application for the testing of his meter together
with meter testing fee as applicable with the Asst. Engineer of the area. The
Asst. Engineer would attend to the complaint as per provisions laid down in
Commission’s Performance Standards (Metering & Billing) Regulations
(M&B Regulations) as below:
Within
7 days of filing the application together with the testing fee, a tested check
meter would be installed in series with the existing meter. If after a reasonable
period of time which would not be less than 7 days, the existing meter is found
to be slow or fast beyond the permissible limits, then the same would be removed
leaving the check meter in its place for future metering. The account of the
consumer would be adjusted suitably as per the provisions of the Performance
Standards (Metering & Billing) Regulations and the testing fee deposited
by the consumer would be refunded. However, if the existing meter is found to
be correct, the same would be left in place and the testing fee would be forfeited.
(ii) Where meter has been provided by the Consumer
If the meter is the property of the consumer and
its testing with the above procedure indicates the need for its replacement,
then the Licensee shall leave the test meter at the premises of the consumer. If
the consumer wishes to put his meter again he shall inform the licensee for
installation. For the period the licensee's meter remains at the consumer's
premises, he would pay the meter rental and usual charges as applicable.
However, if the Consumer does not put his meter within a period of 1 month, and
the cost of the meter shall be recovered from the consumer and meter will be
left at the consumer’s premises for all future billings.
In case
the problem is not resolved within the time specified, the consumer may lodge
the complaint with the Executive Engineer concerned in the format given at Annexe.
The Executive Engineer shall acknowledge the complaint and take remedial action
without any delay.
The
licensee shall submit quarterly MIS report giving category wise number of the
complaints received number of meters tested and number of meters found to be
defective
8 Billing Problems
Performance
Standards (Metering & Billing) Regulations have already been notified on
19th August 2003 and amended from time to time.
The procedure for resolution
of complaints relating to billing has been laid in the said regulations. The
complaints shall be lodged with the Asst. Engineer for resolution as per the
procedure laid down. The Appellate Authority in such matters shall be the Executive
Engineer.
9 Periodic Inspection by next higher authority
A database
comprising the complaints lodged by various categories of consumers, type of
complaint, period of redressal etc shall be maintained by the Licensee. The
complaint register maintained at the complaint centre/office will be inspected
by the next supervisory authorities every month that will record his views regarding
the adequacy of the measures taken and the response time.
10 Petition before DERC for grievance redressal
It is
the obligation on the Licensee to respond to a consumer’s complaint in
a timely and effective manner as laid down above. However, if the consumer is
not satisfied with the action taken by the Licensee (up to the General Manger
level), he may make a complaint to the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission
in accordance with Commission’s Grievance Handling Procedure.
Note: These procedures would be effective from the
1st of July 2003 and would be valid till further orders.
Annexeure
Performa for Complaints
1. Name of the complainant :
2. Address of the complainant :
3. Telephone No., if any of the complainant :
4. Consumer account Number (Optional) :
5. Brief description of the complaint :
Date :
______________________
(Signature of Applicant)
--------------------------------Tear at this line--------------------------------
Acknowledgement to be handed over to the consumer
1. Complaint reference No. :
(To be given by Licensee)
2. Complaint received on date :
3. Complaint received by :
(Name & Designation)
_________
(Signature)
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