Madras High Court
R.Thillai Chidambaram vs The Chairman-Cum-Managing Director on 24 July, 2017
Author: T.Raja
Bench: T.Raja
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED: 24.07.2017
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE T.RAJA
W.P.(MD).No.13269 of 2017
R.Thillai Chidambaram .. Petitioner
Vs.
1.The Chairman-cum-Managing Director,
TANGEDCO,
10th Floor, NPKARR Maaligai,
144, Anna Salai,
Chennai - 600 006.
2.The Superintending Engineer,
Distribution Urban ? TANGEDCO
Ettayapuram Road,
Tuticorin ? 628 002.
3.The Executive Engineer,
Distribution Urban ? TANGEDCO
Ettayapuram Road,
Tuticorin ? 628 002.
..Respondents
Prayer: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents
to install bi-directional meter in replacement of existing service connection
meter to switch over to Solar PV System installed at the residence of the
petitioner at Door No.111/33E/9, State Bank Colony, Tuticorin ? 628 002
forthwith based on the representation submitted by the petitioner dated
24.02.2017 within a time frame to be fixed by this Court.
!For Petitioner : Mr.G.Sankaran
For Respondents : Mr.D.Dayalan,
Standing counsel for TNEB
:ORDER
The petitioner has come before this Court seeking a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to install bi-directional meter in replacement of the existing service connection meter to switch over to Solar PV System installed at the residence of the petitioner at No.111/33E/9, State Bank Colony, Tuticorin ? 628 002 forthwith based on the representation submitted by the petitioner dated 24.02.2017.
2.The petitioner applied for Solar Net Metering to the second respondent on payment of Registration Fee of Rs.100/- vide receipt No.1548202.
3.As per the Solar Net Metering in Grid-Connected Solar PV Systems, the solar energy produced by the solar panels is converted to alternating current (AC) by a Solar Grid Inverter. The output of the Solar Grid Inverter is connected to the Distribution Board/Switch Board of the building. As a result, the electrical energy flows to the loads of the building and if the solar energy produced is more than what the building loads consume, the surplus energy will automatically be exported to the TANGEDCO distribution network. On the other hand, if there is less solar energy than what the loads of the building require, the shortfall will be drawn from the grid (energy import).
4.For the purpose of implementing Solar Net Metering, the existing TANGEDCO service connection meter needs to be replaced with a meter that can measure both energy import and energy export and such meter is called bi- directional energy meter or import-export meters.
5.As per the procedure, the petitioner submitted an application to the respondents in September 2016, for installation of Solar Net Meter on payment of Registration Fee of Rs.100/-. But, the respondents have not come forward to implement the same.
6.After taking notice, the learned Standing Counsel sought time to get instructions.
7.On the earlier occasion, this Court considering the importance of installation of the Solar Net Metering, directed the Superintending Engineer to appear before this Court with suitable explanation as to why a bonofide request of the petitioner has not been considered. The purpose of direction to the second respondent to appear before this Court is to find out the practical bottlenecks for installation of Solar Net Metering to give a permanent goby to the present system.
8.Today, the Superintending Engineer present before this Court fairly submitted that the petitioner's request has been considered and further submitted that installing Solar Net Metering is not compulsory but only optional. In any event, since the petitioner has come forward to instal the Solar Net Metering, the respondents are hereby directed to instal bi- directional meter at the residence of the petitioner.
9.Accordingly, this Writ petition is disposed of with the above direction. No costs.
To
1.The Chairman-cum-Managing Director, TANGEDCO, 10th Floor, NPKARR Maaligai, 144, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 006.
2.The Superintending Engineer, Distribution Urban ? TANGEDCO Ettayapuram Road, Tuticorin ? 628 002.
3.The Executive Engineer, Distribution Urban ? TANGEDCO Ettayapuram Road, Tuticorin ? 628 002.
.