DERC Infrastructure Probe
We are open to scrutiny: Discoms
Himani Chandel
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 12
Power distribution companies (discoms) in Delhi have reacted strongly to the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (DERC) decision to investigate their infrastructure.

The DERC had recently issued notice to the discoms saying it wanted to check whether they actually bought and installed the infrastructure they claim to have purchased by spending crores of taxpayers’ money over the past six years. “We have done everything as per the guidelines and are open to any kind of scrutiny,” said a senior official of the Reliance-backed discom BSES.

Similarly, Tata-backed discom NDPL said that the investigation was a necessary step to ensure better power supply to the citizens of Delhi. “We fully support the DERC in its investigation and can produce all necessary documents and supporting information for the convenience of the commission. All the assets have been well installed by us,” said the official spokesperson of NDPL.

“Our infrastructure is well in place which is also reflected in our service,” he added.

According to DERC, irregularities could be found in all the three discoms— BRPL, BYPL and NDPL.

“Consumers complain that discoms don’t actually install supply infrastructure but only arrange fake purchase bills. The veracity of these allegations can only be known after an inquiry,” said a senior official in DERC.

It is learnt that a Hyderabad- based agency Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) will conduct the inquiry for DREC and submit a report by February 2010.

The investigators will check every purchase order placed by the companies since 2003 and visit sites to check whether the equipment was put to use or not.

Complaints about supply breakdowns that fuelled suspicion that some power equipment the companies claim to have bought by spending nearly Rs 6,025 crore of taxpayers’ money was never purchased at all. Therefore, the DERC ordered an investigation to physically verify whether the equipment the companies claimed to have purchased since 2003 exists on the ground or not.