Agartala, June 17, 2024: Tripura Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Sunday asked the 1 lakh 66 thousand electricity consumers in Agartala Municipal Corporation to inform the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) about necessary consumption of electricity in their respective houses, establishments and institutions within a span of 10 days. If the consumers fail, then vigilance team will cut electricity connection and impose hefty penalties, he added.

Addressing a press conference at Secretariat here in Agartala city, Minister Nath said that the state has an adequate power supply, thus eliminating the need for load shedding. However, power cuts still occur due to technical issues such as blown fuses, burnt thimbles, burnt wires, and burnt meters.

Citing the new strict measures, Minister said “Those who are consuming more electricity than before must inform TSECL within ten days of the calculation of excess usage”. “Failure to do so will result in a visit from the vigilance team after ten days, who will cut the electricity line and impose additional fines”, he added.

Agartala, home to 1,66,000 electricity customers, requires the most power in the state, accounting for a quarter of the state’s total electricity demand. Minister Nath noted, “This year, the use of refrigerators and ACs has surged due to the unusual heat, increasing consumption levels without the electricity corporation’s knowledge. This added pressure is affecting local transformers.”

To address this, the Minister urged residents to notify the power corporation of any increased electricity usage so that necessary adjustments can be made. “The power company personnel will upgrade transformers and make needed changes,” he explained.

Minister Nath emphasized that customers must report excess electricity consumption within the next ten days. “If a customer fails to inform the electricity service corporation within this period, the vigilance team will visit their home under section 163/126 of the Indian Electricity Act 2003, impose fines, and disconnect the power line,” he warned.

Currently, this rule applies solely to Agartala city residents due to the specific challenges faced by legitimate customers there. The Minister hinted at potentially stricter measures if necessary.