Consumers Won’t Face Action For Defaults Caused By Billing Errors
Relief To Continue Until Billing System Stabilises & Erroneous Bills Are Corrected
PSPCL Directs Field Offices To Ensure Strict Compliance With Relief Order
PATIALA; 28th September 2026:
In a major relief to electricity consumers facing incorrect or inflated bills due to ongoing billing-related issues, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has directed its field offices to keep disconnection of Domestic Supply (DS) consumer connections on account of default in abeyance with immediate effect.
The decision has been taken in view of complaints from consumers who have received incorrect or inflated electricity bills, with such amounts subsequently appearing as outstanding or defaulting dues in the billing system. PSPCL has directed that no disconnection action be taken against such consumers until the billing system is stabilised and the incorrect bills are corrected.
According to the order issued by the Director/Distribution, PSPCL, Patiala, the recent strike by meter readers and the ongoing migration of SAP/Non-SAP systems to the Oracle-based Smart Billing System (SBS) have resulted in a number of DS consumers being billed on an average or assumptive basis.
As a result, several consumers have received bills that do not correspond with their actual consumption, leading to complaints at field offices. In such cases, the incorrect bill amounts are reflecting as outstanding or defaulting amounts in the system, making the affected connections liable for disconnection.
Recognising the hardship caused to consumers, PSPCL has now ordered that disconnection of DS consumer connections on account of default be kept in abeyance with immediate effect until stabilisation of the SBS system and correction of incorrect or inflated bills.
The field offices have also been directed to ensure strict compliance with the instructions and not initiate disconnection proceedings in cases covered by the order.
The order makes it clear that consumers should not face disconnection merely because an outstanding amount has been generated due to incorrect billing rather than their actual electricity consumption.
The PSPCL directive has been issued to all Chief Engineers/Distribution and Supply Zones of the Corporation, with a copy marked to the SE/OSD to CMD, PSPCL, Patiala.
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