Focus on technical parameters fetched us rich dividends: APEPDCL

Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Limited, popularly known as APEPDCL is one among few high performing Discoms in the country with highest meters sales i.e around 85 per cent and lowest transmission & distribution losses (T&D) loss of around 6.6 percent and ranked highly among all electrical distribution companies in India.

In an exclusive interview to Bizz Buzz, APEPDCL Chairman-cum-Managing Director K Santhosha Rao said revenue-wise the Discom has done exceedingly well by containing the T&D losses. He said reduction of distribution loss in APEPDCL was achieved by carrying out initiatives given for the last decade and the loss reduction has been achieved to a great extent.

What did the wonders for containing T&D losses?

Various works which were taken up in APEPDCL helped in strengthening of distribution networks which resulted in reduction of distribution loss from 2000-01 to 2020-21.

Some of the initiatives for reduction include the reduction of new substations in the place of overloaded substations, parallel feeders to overloaded 33KV feeders, interlinking lines, implementation of HVDS in most of the agricultural areas thereby the LT lines got converted to 11KV lines, thus maximum saving occurred in the technical loss.

So far 2,26,199 numbers of agriculture services are under high voltage distribution system HVDS out of 250336 services (more than 90 percent services are being supplied through HVDS). HT to LT length of lines ratio is increased from 0.49 to 0.66 (58,746 KM/88,761 KM). The lower size conductor was replaced with 100 sq mm in cities. The lower size conductors were replaced.

We reduced the length of LT lines by relocating the distribution transformer (DTR)/ providing new additional DTR such that the length of LT line is in regular practice.

We are providing additional DTRs/augmenting the capacities to relieve over loading on the existing DTRs and replacing worn-out and damaged conductors in sea coast areas. Capacitor banks were erected for the existing & newly erected sub stations.

Apart from arranging to maintain the capacitors at the agriculture services by the consumers, there are 522 numbers of capacitor banks (having more than 600 MVAR capacity). Almost 93.03 percent (56.48 lakh meters replaced against 60.71 lacs existing) infra Rate Meters (IrDA) port meters replaced in the place of non-IrDA port meters and billing is being done with infra rate (IR) port scanners.

Hundred per cent metering was provided to panchayat water works (PWS), rural water works scheme (PWS) PWS/RWS and street lights (STL) services.

Sealing to the terminal covers/meter boxes are being provided in regular practice. Replacement of stuck-up meters and current meters (MS and MB) services is in regular practice in the same billing cycle.

Inspection of meter exceptionals.,i.e. nil consumption (NIL), door lock (DL), under disconnection (UDC) etc by both operation and detection pilferage (DPE) wings are done regularly. Inspection of services for theft of energy (TE) malpractice (MP), back billing (BB) and additional load (AL) cases at regular intervals is done by both operation and DPE wings to curb theft. We are putting all efforts to operate defaulter (D)-Lists in time and to get 100 percent realisation of demand including arrears. We are making a periodic inspection of all CT and HT metered services once a year for their accuracy and performance.

So improvement in techno-economic parameters led to cutting down losses. Can you please elaborate?

Our results: Year 2000-01 2019-20 2020-21: Metered sales 61.87 per cent 82.55 per cent 82.97 per cent, Billing efficiency 82.09 per cent 93.36 per cent 93.38 per cent, distribution loss 17.91 per cent 6.64 per cent 6.62 per cent and T&D loss 18.20 per cent 6.64 per cent and 21.52 per cent.

By implementing the said loss reduction activities, APEPDCL achieved the reduction of aggregate technical and commercial AT&C loss from 18. 20 per cent in 2000-01 to as low as 6.64 per cent in 2019-20 by which APEPDCL became one of the best DISCOMs which achieved the lowest loss in the country.

How is the power supply position particularly in the light of the coal crisis?

Power supply position is mostly normal except for load-shedding due to frequency dip during evening peak load hours from October 4 to 16 that too at very few locations. Situation improved with continuous efforts of AP Energy Department by procuring additional coal and operationalsing thermal power plants of 1600 MW. At present the power supply position is good.

How APEPDCL has maintained consistency with its e-governance initiatives and redressal of consumer grievances?

The objective of APEPDCL is to implement IT Systems in APEPDCL and act as a facilitator in improving the operational efficiency of various functions in the DISCOM for providing better services to the customers of APEPDCL.

Various initiatives under Implementation:

Mee seva Integration: APEPDCL is providing 46 Nos. services to its customers through Meeseva Centres (around 5340 Nos.). Various types of requests extended are new service connection, load change, category change, name transfer, meter related complaints (stuck-up/burnt/damage), billing related complaints, other customer requests (shifting of poles/ DTRs/lLines).

EODB (DIPP Integration): As per instructions of the Government of AP, ease of doing business (EODB) reforms are being implemented in APEPDCL. As part of this, estimated sanctions are generated as per network requirement inputs provided by the applicant and the charges payable by the consumers are intimated during the time of registration itself.

Online Registration: APEPDCL has launched online registration for various customer requests through our website i.e. www.apeasternpower.com wherein the customer can fill the online application, upload the required documents and pay the necessary charges online through credit card/debit card/net banking etc. GSWS Integration: APEPDCL has been providing services to its customers through Grama Sachivalayams and Ward Sachivalayams (GSWS). All the services extended through Meeseva are being extended from these centres.

Centralized Call Centre: A Centralized Call Centre is established with 1912 (toll-free number) to receive and process complaints. At present, 14 types and 104 sub types of complaints are being registered under the following major heads: Supply failure related, voltage related, transformer related, line related, pole related, billing related, theft of energy and malpractice and solar related.

All the complaints which are registered in customer care centre CCC are being closed only after obtaining the feedback on the resolution. Apart from this, feedback is being obtained from the customers on all the services rendered by APEPDCL.

Please explain about your mobile app which has become popular in a short span...

APEPDCL has launched mobile apps exclusively for HT & LT consumers with following features: LT Mobile App has view and pay bill option. One can register complaints, view payment history of the last 12 months, month-wise and day-wise consumption. One can also know the power supply position. It has an energy calculator. On the other hand, the HT Mobile App has a dashboard (amount to be paid, consumption details of last 12 months and payment history of last 3 months). Also provides month-wise and day-wise consumption with an option to know power supply positions including SAIDI and SAIFI (system averages) , view day-wise demand (KVA) at a glance and access various features of the mobile app using voice assistant.

How are you able to supply power to tribal hamlets located in remote areas of the agency areas in Visakhapatnam and East Godavari and other areas under your jurisdiction?

APEPDCL has implemented Government of India scheme of decentralised distribution generation (DDG) first of its kind in India for electrification of tribal habitations and households in remote hilly terrain agency areas by providing solar power plants (off-grid) under DDG projects with capacities ranging from 2KW to 16KW where the grid supply is not accessible.

What are your initiatives to achieve energy efficiency?

As high as 75.40 lakhs LED bulbs were distributed by energy efficiency services limited EESL in all five districts of APEPDCL for which payments were made on monthly basis and 10.96 lakhs LED bulbs were distributed to SC/ST consumers totaling to 86.36 lakh LED bulbs under domestic efficient lighting programme (DELP) scheme.

APEPDCL has initiated implementation of agriculture DSM based pilot project at Rajanagaram mandal in East Godavari district on ESCO model with EESL. Under this project 973 inefficient agricultural pump sets were replaced with 4 Star or 5 Star rated energy efficient pump sets in Rajanagaram mandal.

APEPDCL has initiated implementation of agriculture DSM programme of replacement of 17,300 numbers of old conventional pump sets with most energy efficient pump sets in 5 districts of APEPDCL.

APEPDCL is conducting drives to ensure that all the agricultural services shall comply with DSM measures such as fixing of rated capacitors, usage of high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes, and frictionless foot valves. As part of energy conservation, APEPDCL is conducting National Energy Conservation Week every year from December 14 to 20.