Govt to pick agency to plug power losses

The power ministry wants to appoint an independent investigator to identify the reasons for aggregate transmission and commercial losses (AT&C).

The investigator, which the ministry hopes to appoint within two months, would look into theft, pilferage, transmission losses, non-billing of consumers and free power supply by utilities. The ministry has received bids from several non-government agencies and they are being evaluated to select an investigator.

Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, on the sidelines of an exhibition here, said: “AT&C losses have been brought down to 27 per cent from 39 per cent. But, the target is to bring it down to 15 per cent. An independent investigator will keep a watch on factors such as power thefts, pilferage, transmission losses, non-billing of consumers and free power supply, which are key to the AT&C losses.”

The mechanism is being proposed as the Centre and states are focusing on implementing revised accelerated power development and reform programme to cut AT&C losses.

The reduction in AT&C losses, the minister said, will be achieved by improving metering efficiency, proper energy accounting and auditing, and improved billing and collection mechanism. He noted that fixing accountability on personnel and feeder managers will help a lot in lowering AT&C loss.

Shinde’s decision comes at a time when some states are battling high losses. In Manipur, the losses were 79.06 per cent. AT&C losses in Rajasthan were 29.52 per cent with subsidy and 58.41 per cent without subsidy. In the case of Tamil Nadu, the losses for 2009-10 were 20.15 per cent. However, AT&C losses would increase to 35.49 per cent considering the notional shortfall of subsidy of Rs 4,464 crore.