We organised a meeting with the officials of MSEDCL, MSETCL and MEDA on Friday, May 12th at our S.B. Road office regarding the issues related to the hike in electricity tariff. Mr. Rajendra Pawar- Chief Engineer (Pune Urban Zone), MSEDCL and Mr. Rajendra Gaikwad-Chief Engineer-Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd., Mr. Sunil Pawade-Chief Engineer (Baramati Zone), MSEDCL and Mr. Pankaj Tagalpallewar-Additional Director General – Maharashtra Energy Development Agency, apart from MCCIA officials, Mr. Deepak Karandikar, President MCCIA, Mr. Prashant Khankhoje, Chairman of Energy Committee of MCCIA, and industry representatives ranging from MSMEs to manufacturing giants participated in the meeting.

The following issues highlighted by Industrial Electricity Consumers in Pune were addressed:
1. Green Energy Open Access for SMEs-Need for a framework for encouraging Stand alone and Group Captive Projects, issues relating to permission and charges

2. Additional Security Deposit demanded by MSEDCL

3. Prepaid Meter facility for Industrial consumers

4. Need to upgrade MSEDCL infrastructure to keep pace with increasing demand from industrial consumers

5. Issues relating to improving the quality of Power

6. Issues relating to unscheduled interruptions in power supply 

7. Operations and Maintenance related issues- Planned and Schedule maintenance of HT grid and Transformers for LT consumers on weekly shutdown days, will 
avoid any interruptions for industrial consumers.

8. Specific inputs for improving service of MSEDCL – It should ensure 24 hours, 365 days uninterrupted supply without power fluctuations & per unit charges should be reduced for SME/MSME  

9. Messaging from MSEDCL about the planned interruptions is not proper which results in delays in production schedules. 

10. Underground cabling – need to improve the response time in case of any problems 

11. Very poor response to complaints during night hours.  Accountable person from MSEDCL required so that consumers will message or call directly.  

12. Cutting of branches of trees, jump joints replacement, damaged insulator replacement, damaged conductors’ replacement; breaker preventive maintenance activities should be planned to avoid failures.

13. Faulty Meters – Long wait for Replacement (upto 18 months)

14. The system for lodgement of complaint for Industrial Consumers/ HT Consumers should be more robust.  Can this system not be automated i.e. registration of complaint no. and queueing up of those complaints?

15. There are issues such as fixing of DOs/ Fuses on Electrical Poles. This is done only by the linemen and if they have necessary equipment with them. At times it takes hours and days for the linemen to attend to these issues of DO/ Fuse replacement.

16. At times on restoration of power it is seen that phases have got reversed at the source. This leads to motors running in reverse direction or at times even burnout of electric equipment. Can a SOP be formulated/ followed to avoid it happening?

17. An administrative issue: MSEDCL-issued bills are construed as valid address proof. However, the address mentioned in the electricity bill is invariably incomplete. This issue should be addressed.

18. Operations and Maintenance related issues: Need to carry out Preventive Maintenance of overhead lines 

19. Specific inputs for improving service of MSEDCL: Penalty should be levied on MSEDCL if it does not resume the power supply within 5 hours of power failure, when any fault has occurred outside consumer’s premises.

The MSEDCL officials responded with clarifications, shared their limitations and promised to work hand-in-hand with the industry members in mitigating the problems. MSEDCL officials from various Circles in Pune District were also present and responded to queries by industries from those particular areas.