PDD Orders Salary Cuts, Longer Power Cuts for High ATC Loss Areas | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Power Development Department (PDD) has directed the JPDCL and KPDCL to initiate strict action, including deduction of up to 50 per cent of salary, against officials of divisions and feeders where Aggregate Technical and Commercial (ATC) losses exceed 40 per cent.

Besides, the department has issued a revised Load Curtailment Plan (LCP) with additional hours of power shedding for areas having ATC losses of more than 40 per cent and between 15 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively.

In an official communiqué, the PDD said the measures are being taken to improve billing efficiency, collection efficiency, and reduce ATC losses.

Stating the revision of the Load Curtailment Plan, the PDD said the current plan may be revised by imposing no power cuts on feeders having ATC losses below 15 per cent.

“Three hours of power cut instead of the present scheduled cut of two hours on feeders having ATC losses between 15 per cent and 40 per cent, and six hours of power cut instead of the present power cut of four hours on feeders having ATC losses above 40 per cent, for both Kashmir and Jammu divisions,” it reads.

The PDD further said that the JKPCL shall explore other options, including entering into additional banking arrangements with other states for the period January 2026 to March 2026, to curtail the power purchase bill.

Under the accountability of underperforming divisions and sub-divisions, the DISCOMs — JPDCL and KPDCL — were asked to serve show-cause notices to all divisions, sub-divisions and feeders found to be underperforming, that is, where ATC losses exceed 40 per cent, under intimation to the Administrative Department.

“Further, action may be initiated for deduction of 50 per cent of salary of the concerned officers or officials of such divisions, sub-divisions or feeders,” it reads.

“Simultaneously, steps shall be taken to enhance billing efficiency up to 90 per cent and to ensure 100 per cent bill distribution among both metered and non-metered power consumers,” the PDD said.

Regarding monitoring of prepaid smart meter billing, the JPDCL and KPDCL DISCOMs have been asked to maintain a proper account of energy (in MUs) billed through prepaid smart meters and ensure installation of prepaid smart meters for all high-power consumers on or before January 31, 2026.

“JPDCL and KPDCL shall constitute dedicated teams to verify feeder-wise ATC losses vis-à-vis input energy and furnish details of divisions, sub-divisions or feeders where ATC losses exceed 40 per cent,” it reads.

In addition, the DISCOMs have been directed to constitute teams to verify load agreements in non-metered areas through phone calls and video recordings as evidence. “In cases where it is found that more electrical gadgets are in use than permitted under the approved load agreement, the practice of seizing equipment shall be avoided, and instead the load agreement shall be revised on the spot.”

Pertinently, earlier it was reported that the PDD is likely to announce a new power curtailment schedule for consumers in the Kashmir division, which will include extra hours of load shedding in high ATC loss areas.

Sources said that the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) was devising a new power curtailment plan that is likely to be rolled out in the coming days. (KNO)