Jaipur: In its latest tariff order, electricity regulator Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) has introduced a consumer-centric reform in electricity supply and services. The commission has directed discoms that, wherever smart meters are installed, all Standards of Performance (SoP) parameters must be monitored through them, and compensation should be paid directly and automatically to consumers.Under RDSS, 1.43 crore smart meters are planned across Rajasthan. So far, 34 lakh meters have been installed. Despite the progress, no automated compensation mechanism has been implemented even in areas where smart meters are already operational, said the regulator.The SoP framework is designed as a critical accountability mechanism to compensate consumers for deficiencies in service.However, its implementation has been minimal. Quarterly SoP data submitted by discoms indicates that most compensation is limited to cases involving defective or damaged equipment, while consumers rarely receive compensation for power outages.Anshuman Gothwal of Centre for Energy, Environment and People said, “Two key issues contribute to this gap. First, consumer awareness of rights under SoP regulations remains extremely low, with little effort dedicated to improving it. Second, the current system places the burden of identifying service failures and filing claims on consumers.”Gothwal added, “The current framework remains constrained by misaligned incentives, rural-urban divide, and weak monitoring systems, often reducing it to a compliance burden rather than a service commitment. The regulations may also be reframed to acknowledge the diverse operational realities and constraints within a discom’s service area.”Importantly, this is not a new regulatory position. The Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, along with RERC’s earlier directions in the tariff orders and RERC (Standards of Performance for Distribution Licensees) Regulations, 2021, provide for mechanisms enabling automatic compensation.
