Pay the electricity bill, or face load shedding

MSEDCL: Load shedding is inevitable in areas where electricity bill is not recovered

Aurangabad, March 24:

MSEDCL is in crisis due to huge arrears of electricity bills and various dues. Due to the huge demand for electricity in the summer, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) is currently purchasing electricity from various sources, including the Central Power Exchange, at exorbitant rates. However, MSEDCL is finding it difficult to balance the cost of electricity purchase and recovery of electricity bills. Therefore, customers should cooperate by paying the electricity bill, otherwise there is no option but to start load shedding in the next few days, said officials.

The demand for electricity in the State on Thursday was 24,500 MW, which has been met by MSEDCL. The company has procured about 31 million units of electricity from various sources including Central Power Exchange at an expensive rate of Rs 15 per unit. On the other hand, the same electricity is being provided to domestic, agricultural and various categories of customers by MSEDCL at discounted rates. Due to summer, the demand for electricity will continue to increase.

No response to recovery campaign

Although the electricity bill recovery drive is currently underway, it is not getting the desired response. That is why it is becoming difficult to balance the purchase of electricity and supply due to increasing demand. If there is no money for purchase of electricity, then there will be no other option for MSEDCL except load shedding. MSEDCL is preparing to regulate load shedding in areas where electricity bill collection is low.

Arrears of Rs 16,476 crore

Consumers in Marathwada are in arrears of Rs 16,476 crore. Of this, Rs 12,724 crore is due to agricultural pump customers and Rs 837 crore is due to domestic, commercial and industrial customers. Consumers in Marathwada should cooperate by paying electricity bills to avoid possible crisis of load shedding, said Dr Mangesh Gondawale, joint managing director, MSEDCL.