CENTRAL ELECTRICITY Regulatory Commission (CERC) decided on Wednesday to proceed against designated inter-state transmission system customers (DIC) who chose not to make transmission charges' payment to Power Grid despite its order.

 

CERC had earlier directed all DICs to make timely payment of transmission and other charges to the petitioner in accordance with the bills raised by the Power Grid expect in those cases where court cases are pending by December 31 last.

 

CERC had expressed serious concern about the non-payment of transmission charges or partial payment of transmission charges by the DICs for the transmission services availed by them is a matter of grave concern as it will sooner or later cripple the financial viability of the petitioner and other inter-State transmission licensees.  

 

The order mentioned that Commission has the mandate of the Parliament to ensure that inter-State transmission is regulated in a smooth and efficient manner and is not crippled on account of non-payment or partial payment of transmission charges.

 

After the interim order some DICs made payment fully or partially by the deadline whereas other chooses to ignore. The total pending amount is Rs.517.50 crore and northern region alone accounts for Rs 404.96 crore. The dues of NDPL (Tata) (14.10 Cr.), Tamil Nadu (90 Cr.) Assam (` 9.28 Cr.) and Punjab (`20.08) have not been included in the above figure.

 

In the northern region the two Reliance Discoms of New Delhi are major defaulters. BSES Yamuna owes Rs.132.14 crore and BSES Rajdhani owes Rs.139.83 crore.