What is basically electricity theft is being repackaged in politically correct terms, but J&K takes the “Gold Medal” of infamy
T&D Losses in J&K Highest in Country
Jammu: The Government proposed to bring down Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses, which had touched an all time high at 65.7 per cent during last financial year (2009-10), to 57.4 per cent during the current year (2010-11). One per cent reduction in T&D losses will save Rs 25 crore burden on the State exchequer.
Official sources said the Power Development Department (PDD) hoped that a series of measures including increase in metering will help it bring down the T&D losses to 57.4 per cent during current year. As T&D losses last year stood at 65.7 per cent, the PDD will have to reduce them by 8.3 per cent to meet the target of reduction.
The Department would be in a position to save over Rs 200 crore if it managed to bring down the level of T&D losses to 57.4 per cent.
Significantly, the T&D losses have been going up for the last three years despite installation of electronic meters in several parts of the State. The T&D losses were 61.9 per cent and 61.3 per cent during 2007-08 and 2008-09 respectively. However, they went up to 65.7 per cent during 2009-10.
Total energy requirement for 2010-11 has been projected at 10,081 MUs taking into account 57.4 per cent T&D losses. Sales for current financial year were projected at 4286 MU and T&D losses at 5795 MUs taking total requirement of energy input at 10,081 MU.
Last fiscal year’s energy requirement was 11,032 MUs which include 7257 MU T&D losses and 3775 MU sales. Energy requirement during 2007-08 and 2008-09 was 8743 MU and 9147 MU, sources said.
Admitting that T&D losses in the State are highest in the country, sources said the Government as well as State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) have described as “unacceptably high” the level of losses, which was putting “enormous strain” on the State finances.
The PDD proposed to improve revenue, quality of power supplied and reduce expenditure besides introducing a scheme of incentives and disincentives to bring down the T&D losses to an acceptable level. A counter-check system of meter reading and restricting the tenure of Meter Readers to a maximum period of one year at a place are among the other measures proposed to reduce the level of T&D losses.
The SERC has also asked the PDD to reduce the T&D loss levels by 10 per cent during current financial year by adopting various measures such as 100 per cent metering of consumers, metering of all distribution transformers in the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar, undertaking revision of agreements of all categories of consumers to arrive at realistic connected loads, re-activate supervision to check the menace of bypassing and tampering of meters, involve Electricity Magistrates already in place in the Department, computerize bills, reduce human interface and replace bare conductors with insultated wires in theft prone areas.
(Daily Excelsior)