(1) Tariff for each category of consumers shall be displayed on distribution licensee’s website and consumers shall be notified of change in tariff including fuel surcharge and other charges, a full billing cycle ahead of time, through distribution licensee’s website as well as through energy bills.
(2) The distribution licensee shall prepare the bill for every billing cycle based on actual meter reading, except where pre-payment meters are installed, and the bill shall be delivered to the consumer by hand or post or courier or e-mail or any other electronic mode at least ten days prior to the due date of payment.
(3) In case of non-receipt of original bill, the consumer shall be entitled to get a duplicate copy of the bill and shall also have the option to deposit self-assessed bill as per the procedure approved by the Commission:
Provided that the excess or deficit payment, as the case may be in case of self-assessment, shall be adjusted in the next bill or bills, as the case may be.
[भाग II—खण् ड 3(i)] भारत का राजपत्र : ऄसाधारण 17
(4) In case of pre-payment metering, the distribution licensee shall issue the bill, to the consumer, on his or her request.
(5) The distribution licensee shall intimate the consumer about despatch of bill through SMS or email, or by both, SMS and e-mail, immediately and the intimation shall consist of the details of bill amount and the due date for payment.
(6) The distribution licensee shall also upload the bill on its website on the day of bill generation:
Provided that the billing details of last one year for all consumers shall also be made available on the licensee’s website.
(7) The distribution licensee shall issue the first bill within a time period to be specified by the Commission, not exceeding two billing cycles, of energising a new connection where post payment meters are installed.
(8) In case the consumer does not receive the first bill within such period, he may complain, in writing, to the distribution licensee and the distribution licensee shall issue the bill within a time period, not exceeding seven days.
(9) The distribution licensee shall not generate more than two provisional bills for a consumer during one financial year and if the provisional billing continues for more than two billing cycles except under extraordinary situation due to force majeure, the consumer may refuse to pay the dues until bill is raised by the distribution licensee as per actual meter reading.
(10) If any bill is served with a delay of such period as specified by the Commission, not exceeding sixty days, the consumers shall be given a rebate of two to five percent as specified by the Commission.
(11) The information regarding the authority with whom grievance or complaint pertaining to bill can be lodged shall be provided along with the bill and the same shall also be made available on distribution licensees’ website.
(12) In case of vacation of premises, the distribution licensee shall arrange to take a special reading of the meter on receiving the consumer’s written request and issue a final bill including all arrears till the date of billing and issue a No-Dues Certificate on receiving final payment, within a time period not exceeding seven days from the receipt of such final payment.