TNPDCL Orders Recheck of 3.7 Lakh Electricity Connections After High EB Bill Complaints in Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) has ordered a State-wide re-inspection of 3.7 lakh domestic electricity connections following complaints from consumers about unusually high electricity bills during the July billing cycle.

The verification will focus on households that recorded a significant increase in electricity consumption compared with the previous billing cycle in May.

TNPDCL Orders Physical Verification

In a circular issued on Wednesday, TNPDCL Chairman and Managing Director V Arun Roy directed senior officials across all distribution regions to physically inspect domestic service connections showing major variations in power consumption.

Officials from the level of Chief Engineers to Assistant Engineers will participate in the inspection. Assistant Executive Engineers and Accounts Officers attached to the Revenue Intelligence Squad have been assigned up to 150 service connections each for verification.

TNPDCL has set August 7 as the deadline for completing the exercise.

Officials have also been instructed to immediately rectify any billing or assessment errors identified during the inspection.

3.7 Lakh Consumers Identified

TNPDCL analysed domestic electricity consumption during the May and July billing cycles and identified around 3.7 lakh consumers whose usage had increased sharply.

Of these, nearly 15,000 consumers recorded consumption above 1,000 units, while around one lakh consumers used between 500 and 1,000 units. The remaining identified connections recorded consumption between 101 and 500 units.

TNPDCL officials said the exercise is intended to address consumer concerns over higher electricity bills and is not an enforcement drive.

Hot Weather Linked to Higher Electricity Consumption

Officials attributed much of the increase in household electricity consumption to prolonged hot and humid weather across Tamil Nadu.

Greater use of air-conditioners, air coolers and other cooling appliances for longer periods may have contributed to higher electricity consumption and, consequently, increased electricity bills for many households.

The State-wide verification is expected to help identify billing discrepancies, if any, while providing clarity to consumers whose electricity charges increased sharply during the latest billing cycle.