CODE OF PRACTICE ON PAYMENT OF BILLS

1. PURPOSE:
To establish a uniform standard for issue and payment of electricity bills.

2. DEFINITION:
The words user in Code of practice connotes the same meaning as in the OER Act, 1995, OERC C&B Regulation, 1996 and licences issued by OERC for Distribution and Retail Supply.

3. PERIODICITY OF BILLS:

3.1 Bills shall be issued at a periodicity of not more than 2 months in respect of domestic and commercial consumers. In respect of all other consumers, the bills may be issued monthly.

3.2 Bills shall be issued within a period not exceeding fifteen days of the end of the billing period in urban areas and within a period of twenty one days in case of rural areas.

3.3 Bills shall be sent to the consumer either by post or through courier.

II. FORMAT OF THE BILL

4.1 The bill shall contain consumer information as at p to u and information regarding tariff in addition to information a to o as below on the main body of the bill ;

1. Consumer No., name and address.

2. Name of Division/ Sub-Division/Section.

3. Connected load and/or contract demand of consumer.

4. Types of supply (i.e. single phase, two phase, three phase L.T. or H.T. or EHT).

5. Category of consumer (i.e. domestic, commercial etc.).

6. Status of meter (ok/defective/missing/no meter)

7. Billing period/cycle

8. Initial meter reading of the billing period/cycle, with date.

9. Final meter reading of the billing period/cycle with date.

10. Number of units consumed during the billing period.

11. Tariff applicable.

12. Date of the bill / Due date of payment.

13. Amount payable within due date.

14. Amount payable after due date.

15. Billing details:

1. Electricity duty.

2. Current electricity charges( How arrived at )

3. Current miscellaneous charges

4. Arrear Electricity charges.

5. Arrear misc. charges.

6. Delayed payment surcharge (Where applicable).

7. Rebate allowed.

8. Total amount due.

CONSUMER INFORMATION

16. Current tariff rate and other charges as applicable.

17. Collection centres

18. Working hours of collection centres

19. Mode of payment.

20. Designation and address Or authorities with whom complaints/grievances shall be lodged (To be printed on the reverse of the bill)

21. In case of cheques and bank drafts, the receiving authority in whose favour the amount should be drawn.

4.2 Accordingly the bill for Domestic, Commercial, and all other Consumers covered under single part tariff has to be in format-A as enclosed. In case of other category consumers appropriate information regarding tariff and additional information if any, may be included.

5. PAYMENT OF BILL:

5.1 The payment of bill shall normally be made at the collection centres of the Licensee every working day during prescribed hours as indicated in the bill.

5.2 The Licensee may, however, specify any particular collection centre for making payment for a group of consumers.

5.3 If due date indicated in the bill for payment of amount is a Sunday or public holiday, succeeding working day shall be treated as the due date.

5.4 The billed amount shall be paid by the consumer either in cash or by Bank Draft or Bankers cheque. However, where specifically allowed by the Licensee, the amount can be paid by account payee cheque or credit cards.

5.5 The Licensee shall issue a receipt to the consumer for the payment received.

5.6 The consumer shall pay the bill amount by the due date indicated on the bill or within a period of seven days from the date of receiving the bill whichever is later.

6. REBATE:

6.1 Payment of the billed amount within the prescribed date entitles the specified categories of consumers to a rebate. Every bill shall indicate the amount payable

1. if payment is made within the prescribed due date, or

2. if payment is made after the due date.

7. DELAYED PAYMENT SURCHARGE:

7.1 Delayed payment surcharge as per tariff order shall apply in case of default in payment by due date. There shall be no surcharge over surcharge.

8. ADJUSTMENT OF THE BILL AMOUNT:

8.1 The amount paid by the consumer shall first be adjusted towards electricity duty. In case of part payment by the consumer, the proportionate share of duty from the total collection shall be adjusted first. Out of the balance the adjustment shall be made in the following order of priority:

1. Current Electricity Charges

2. Current Miscellaneous charges

3. Arrear Electricity Charges

4. Arrear Miscellaneous Charges

5. Delayed Payment surcharge.

9. INSTALLMENT FACILITIES:

9.1 Licensee may grant the facility of payment of bills by instalments to senior citizens and disabled persons in the domestic category on request and on production of proof. In respect of others, the facility may be granted only if the Licensee is satisfied regarding deserving nature of request for instalment.

9.2 Grant of instalment facility shall not affect the liability of the consumers to pay delayed payment surcharge till full clearance of arrears. Consumer availing instalment facility shall not be eligible to avail rebate.

9.3 The Licensee shall designate the authorities who may grant instalment facilities to different categories of consumers from time to time.

10. ERRONEOUS / DISPUTED BILLS:

10.1 A consumer has to normally make full payment of the amount even when he raises a dispute.

10.2 However, a consumer with connected load of 10 KW or less may pay only the undisputed amount out of the billed amount before raising dispute.

10.3 The Licensee shall resolve the dispute within two months and take action under Regulation 92 of Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (Conditions of Supply) Code, 1998.

10.4 If the Licensee finds the bill to be erroneous, a revised bill shall be given to the consumer indicating the revised due date for payment. If any excess amount has been paid by the consumer, it shall be refunded by way of adjustment in the subsequent bills. Such excess amount shall be refunded together with interest at the rate of 2% per month from the date of payment of excess amount.

10.5 If the licensee finds the bills to be correct the consumer shall be intimated accordingly and notified to pay the balance, if any, within fifteen days with interest at the rate 2% per month from the due date. If the Licensee does not resolve the dispute within two months, the consumer will not be liable to pay the interest on the balance amount. However, if the dispute is not resolved due to negligence or non-cooperation of the consumer, the consumer will be liable to pay interest.

11. DISCONNECTION DUE TO NON-PAYMENT:

11.1 Where a consumer neglects to pay the charges or dues or any part of the charges or dues in respect of supply of energy to him, the Licensee may, after giving him not less than seven days clear notice in writing, disconnect the supply until the charges/dues and reconnection charges are paid by him.

12. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT:

12.1 In case where the service connection remains disconnected on account of non-payment of charges/dues in respect of supply, failure of consumer to take steps for clearance of dues within a period of 2 months from the date of service of bill shall render the agreement liable for termination, provided that initial period of agreement is over.

13. The Licensee shall be entitled to all legal modes of recovery including taking recourse to proceedings under Orissa Public Demand Recovery Act, 1962 (Act 1 of 1963) for realization of the Licensee's dues if such dues are treated as public demand.

Prepared and submitted by Licensee under licence Condition No. 18.1 of Orissa Distribution and Retail Supply License (*........................) and approved by Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission vide it’s letter no. OERC/Engg/59/99/124 Dt. 18.01.2000.

Note :-
1. Where ever the words "the Licensee" is there, it has to be replaced by the name of respective Licensee.
2. * In last paragraph above, the Licence no. of the respective Licensee is to be filled up.

LOGO AND NAME OF LICENSEE

ELECTRICITY BILL FOR THE PERIOD: _______________________________________________
DIVISION:________________ SUB-DIVISION:________________SECTION:________________

SIGNATURE OF THE OFFICER

- - - - - - - - - - - - CUT HERE - - - - - - - - - - - - -

DIVISION:________________ SUB-DIVISION:________________ SECTION:________________

CONSUMER NO:________________ BILL NO:_______________ DUE DATE:_______________

AMOUNT PAYABLE BY DUE DATE:_________ AMOUNT PAYABLE AFTER DUE DATE:__________

SIGNATURE OF THE OFFICER

INFORMATION

TARIFF APPLICABLE
(w.e.f 01.02.2001)