REC Limited has launched the first-ever consumer services rating of discoms (CSRD) for the financial year 2020-21. REC was entrusted the responsibility by the Ministry of Power (MoP) to carry out the study across the country. Over the years, REC has undertaken multiple reform measures, centered on ensuring the viability and sustainability of the power sector. A key focus has been on ensuring the best-in-class services to electricity consumers across the country and with that in focus, Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020 was notified by the MoP on December 31, 2020. With this vision and to improve consumer services by discoms, a study on discom consumer services was felt necessary by MoP.
This exercise will enable the discoms to introspect their performance across various service parameters, undertake a comparative performance assessment with peer discoms and take corrective measures. The key objectives for the consumer service index are:-
- To create a minimum set of parameters related to quality and reliability of electricity supply and consumer service
- Track performance of discoms across these aspects over a period of time
- Develop a spirit of healthy competition amongst discoms to enhance consumer experience
- Nudge the discoms to assess the gap areas, share best practices and promote inter-se learning.
The CSRD has been developed across four key dimensions which are central to enhancing level of consumer services. This includes operational reliability; connection and other services; metering, billing, collection linked services; fault rectification and grievance redressal. Across all these dimensions, key performance indicators have been shown in the figure below:
Result areas and weightages:
- Operational reliability (45 per cent weightage) – This will help assess the reliability of electricity supply. The parameters include hours of supply, SAIFI, and DT failure rate. Considering its importance, 45 per cent weightage has been given to it.
- Consumer service (55 per cent weightage) – The key parameters include connection and other services; metering, billing and collection linked services; fault rectification and grievance redressal. Because of the large number of services, which are important from a consumer point of view, higher weightage i.e. 55 per cent is assigned to these parameters.
After detailed discussion with all stakeholders especially discoms in public and private domain, data was collected and verified with evidences and field visit. Post data collection, scoring was assigned as per approved methodology annexed. Total 60 discoms are being graded in this exercise out of 70 discoms (10 discoms either didn’t participated or data/evidences were insufficient).
The discoms have been assigned grades across the above parameters as per quantitative grading:-
10 discoms have been assigned E grade (4 discoms did not participate and 6 discoms did not provide requisite date for the exercise). Following is the grading chart after the exercise:-
