ELECTRICITY RULES 2020 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)
Context: The Government of India has approved amendments to the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020.
Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020
- About: Electricity is a Concurrent List or List-III (Seventh Schedule) subject and the central government has the authority and the power to make laws on it.
- Objective: To accelerate the installation of rooftop solar projects and empower consumers with provisions on connections in residential societies and solving complaints on meter readings
The major amendments made are as follows.
- Facilitating Easier and Faster Installation of Rooftop Solar Systems
oAmendments to facilitate faster installation and enhance ease of setting up Rooftop Solar PV systems.
oExemption for technical feasibility study for systems up to 10 kW capacity.
oReduced timeline for feasibility study completion.
oDistribution system strengthening for systems up to 5 kW capacity at the distributor's cost.
oReduced commissioning timeline for distribution licensees.
- Separate Connections for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
oConsumers can obtain separate electricity connections for EV charging.
oAligned with carbon emission reduction goals.
- New Connections and Changes in Existing Connections Obtained Faster
oReduced timeframes for new connections in different areas.
oException for rural hilly terrain.
- Additional Rights for Consumers in Residential Colonies and Flats
oEnhanced consumer choice and transparency in metering and billing.
oOptions for individual or single-point connections.
oSeparate metering, billing, and collection for different types of consumption.
- Mandatory Additional Meter in Cases of Complaints
oDistribution licensee required to install additional meters for complaints.
oVerification of consumption for a minimum of three months.
oFocus on consumer interests and standards set by the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020.
