TNCA's annual general meeting held
The former chairman of the Haryana State Electricity Board, M.G. Devasahayam, has suggested benchmarking of performance in various areas of electricity generation and distribution At the annual general meeting of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Consumers’ Association (TECA) here, he said that benchmarking was the process through which efficiency of performance in areas such as power generation, transmission and maintenance could be achieved.The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission had prescribed distribution standards of performance in several areas, including quality of service, transfer of service connection, grievance handling, change of tariff and interruptions and restoration of supply.These were general distribution standards and not specific performance parameters. In the absence of proper benchmarking system and methodology, electricity regulatory commissions were handicapped in setting performance standards that could be translated into key performance indicators and had these implemented. “Cross-subsidy also should be included in the list of parameters to be benchmarked.”Mr. Devasahayam said that benchmarking would facilitate electricity regulatory commissions in setting specific and verifiable standards and monitoring.Utilities would be able to implement and continuously evaluate. Consumers would be able to reap the benefits of substantial improvement in power quality.
In March 2003, the TNERC had directed the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board to go in for performance benchmarking and obtain ISO certification to its transmission and distribution wings. To start with, the board had planned to obtain the certification for one circle in each region.He urged the forums such as the TECA should pursue such issues and “assert the consumer interests as envisaged in the Electricity Act 2003.”
