Guwahati, April 10: The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has launched a helpline number to respond to queries and address complaints from consumers about an “unusual” increase in electricity bills during the postpaid to prepaid meter conversion process.
“It has come to our notice that many consumers have raised grievances regarding increase in electricity bills due to prepaid smart meters in various platforms. In this regard, this is to clarify that prepaid smart meters doesn’t lead to increase in electricity bills,” APDCL clarified on its official Twitter handle.
It further informed that daily power consumption (where smart prepaid meters are installed) and balance history could be checked in the latest version of the myBijulee app.
“However, if any consumer has any query or confusion regarding the postpaid to prepaid conversion process, they can call at our helpline number 1912 or raise their query through http://apdcl.org or myBijulee app or through our social media handle tagging @apdclsocial,” it added.
Sources in APDCL on Monday further clarified that the spike in power bills of late are actually a result of the accumulated units consumed by consumers during the transition process (conversion from postpaid to pre-paid meters) prior to the effective date of use of the pre-paid smart meters.
“Consumers will get a fair idea once they get the consumption statement after one month and find out the monthly consumption in the pre-paid metering system. For our part, we have analysed the power consumption patterns of both post-paid and pre-paid consumers and have not found any variations between the post-paid and pre-paid bills,” an official of APDCL informed mediapersons here.
“But yes, we agree that we have not been able to make our consumers aware about the charges against pending/accumulated units during the transition process,” the official said.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had on Sunday said that he would direct APDCL to set up a control room where complaints of pre-paid consumers could be lodged and issues addressed.
“Pre-paid meters can be tested if there are complaints. Earlier, in the post-paid meter system, the monthly bills were prepared by taking an average. However, I will instruct APDCL to set up a control room where people can lodge complaints and also re-check the pre-paid meters,” the chief minister informed mediapersons.
“At times, mechanical adjustments are needed and complaints should be lodged so that APDCL can address the issues,” the chief minister said.
Meanwhile, expressing concern over the alleged unusual increase of monthly electricity charges after shifting to prepaid bill paying system, All Assam Engineer’s Association, a forum of graduate engineers had on Sunday urged APDCL to clarify its stand against allegations of increasing monthly power bills.
“The process of changing conventional electro-mechanical meters (with a rotating aluminum disc) to electronic (digital/smart) meters with an LCD or LED display must not record more energy consumption (to increase the monthly bills) at any cost,” the association said.