Tamil Nadu Electricity Ombudsman has ruled that the service connection used by a residential complex in Puzhal for purposes such as sewage treatment plant, water treatment plant, gym can be reclassified under LT tariff ID from LT Tariff V.
The service connection can be reclassified from February 24 and Tangedco is directed to refund the excess amount, N. Kannan, Electricity Ombudsman said in his order dated July 11.
In the petition, R. Ramanujam, Secretary, Puzhal S&D Lakeside Two Flat Owners’ Association said the complex consists of 352 dwelling units divided into 12 blocks.
Each block has a common service for lifts, and there is an additional physically segregated building in Block B that houses facilities such as a swimming pool, gym, community hall, and indoor games. These amenities are exclusively for the use of the residents of the complex, he added.
As per the petition, the said service is eligible for Tariff ID (which is billed at ₹8 per unit) as per the new electricity tariff order dated September 9, 2022. Under the previous tariff regime, it was under Tariff V. The tariff for LT-V was increased to ₹9.50 per unit in the September 2022 tariff order from ₹8.05 per unit.
The petition claimed that the residents applied online on December 16, for the tariff change, but Tangedco refused to accept the application and cancelled it on December 28.
Tangedco’s consumer grievance redressal forum (CGRF), Chennai Electricity Distribution West on March 10, 2023 issued an order for changing the tariff noting that the residential built-up area does not exceed 25% of the total built up area, it noted.
However, CGRF did not consider the request for the tariff change to be effected on or before December 23, within the seven days of the application, the petition said and sought for relief.
As per the provision of the new tariff order, the service connection falls under the tariff category ID of the non-residential built-up area and does not exceed 25% of the total built-up area. However, if the non-residential built-up area exceeds 25%, the consumption for such facilities will be charged under LT tariff V, the Ombudsman noted.
The appellant provided the necessary details regarding the non-residential area of their premise during the CGRF hearing held on February 24. Therefore, the appellant’s claim to effect tariff change on or before that date is not valid, he ruled.
The claim for compensation was also rejected.
However, the Ombudsman noted that the tariff change should be implemented from February 24 and told Tangedco to send a compliance report within 30 days.
