CESU starts electricity disconnection drive

Bhubaneswar, Jan 16: The Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU) commenced its disconnection drive on Thursday after the deadline ended on January 15. CESU has deployed 413 squads in nine districts across the state for the disconnection drive . The disconnection drive will be conducted in phased manner and it will target defaulting commercial and high value customers only. Earlier, the utility had announced to conduct disconnection drive across the state from January 16. CESU had announced that the disconnection drive will commence on January 16 as planned earlier in phased manner. In the first phase the disconnection squads of CESU will target only the defaulter commercial establishments. CESU has said that in the 1st phase of disconnection drive, CESU would touch only commercial consumers for collection of arrear dues. The 2nd phase of disconnection drive will focus on affluent and high value domestic consumers keeping huge outstanding arrears. It will include high load domestic consumers having multi storied house, air conditioners, four wheeler etc. Those who pay income tax but not clearing their electricity dues will also be included in the list. In the 3rd phase of disconnection drive, all other consumers will be covered. It will specially focus on the consumers who have not paid electricity dues for years together. The Utility has requested all its customers to pay their pending bills. “CESU has huge deficits and pending bills to be paid to Grid Corporation of Odisha (GRIDCO) for the electricity it purchases. We also seek support from all stakeholders for the drive,” said an official.