Power utility fined for illegal back billing in Gachibowli

HYDERABAD: The Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL) landed in trouble after its enforcement wing issued a back-billing notice of ₹6.8 lakh to a five-storey building in Tulasi Enclave, Gachibowli.

The building has seven electricity connections. One floor is leased to a delivery firm and three floors are used as paying guest hostels. Officials alleged irregular usage and clubbed five connections into a single bill, citing identical activity on the premises.

When the owner complained about a faulty meter, officials imposed the back bill instead. The Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF) asked TSSPDCL to explain under which regulation back billing was imposed.

The forum noted that General Terms and Conditions of Supply Clause 3.5.3 and tariff orders make no mention of such back billing. It ruled that the practice was illegal.

TSSPDCL has been inspecting commercial premises to boost revenue, especially where multiple connections exist in hostels and small businesses. Inspections were conducted in areas with dense hostel activity, including Dilsukhnagar, Sultan Bazaar, Begumpet, Ameerpet, SR Nagar, Gachibowli, Khajaguda, Kukatpally Housing Board, Meerpet and Gundimaisamma, apart from engineering college zones and IT hubs.

Officials said checks focus on power theft, meter tampering, and use of domestic connections for commercial needs. First-time offenders are fined, but in Gachibowli, the forum said the back-billing went beyond the utility’s powers.