Weeks after the preparedness of power utilities was left exposed pushing the Capital into a major power blackout after a massive storm hit the city, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) has now decided to conduct a ‘hearing’ for the same. The hearing, according to the power regulator, will be to fix the responsibility and accountability on Delhi Transco limited (DTl) and three power discoms for the power crisis which occurred despite Delhi being a power surplus city.
The date of the hearing is to be announced early next week, said PD Sudhakar, DERC chairperson. During the hearing, which is akin to judicial hearing as the DERC is a quasi-judicial body, the regulator will fix accountability for the power crisis. According to sources, the discoms in their replies to the notices issued by the regulator have blamed the DTl for the failure. “For the power crisis, the discoms have blamed the DTl, which they claimed happened essentially because its failure to augment and strengthen the transmission network,” said a source in the regulator.
The regulator will also scrutinise whether its schemes regarding strengthening the distribution and transmission network were properly implemented by the DTl and the discoms. Taking suo motu cognizance after going through the media reports on the power crisis in the city, the regulator had registered a case and issued showcause notices to all the stakeholders — the three discoms BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna and Tata Power limited and transmission utility, Delhi Transco limited, which is a Government agency, over power failure across the city. While issuing all the stakeholders showcause the regulator in its notices had also asked them to respond why appropriate action should not be taken against them in accordance with the provisions of the Electricity Act 2003 and terms and conditions of its licensee. While all the discoms have submitted their detailed replies which the regulator is going through, it is only the DTl, which had earlier submitted its preliminary reply, which has asked for more time to file its detailed reply.