Section 6 in The Tamil Nadu Electricity Supply Code, 2004
6. Minimum charges.
- The consumer shall pay to the licensee [minimum charges] [Substituted for the expression 'a minimum charge' by Commission's Notification No.TNERC/SC/7-4 dated 25.5.2007 (w.e.f. 13.6.2007)] in respect of every connection as detailed below. The minimum monthly charges are payable even when no electricity was consumed or supply disconnected by orders of Court or when the price of electricity supplied is less than the minimum charges.(a)For the H.T. services disconnected as per licensee's right to disconnect supply, the following monthly minimum charges based on the KVA demand shall be collected: -(i)If the disconnection is for the full month, then, 20% of the sanctioned demand.(ii)If the disconnection is for part of a month, the actual recorded demand or such percentage of sanctioned demand as declared by the Commission whichever is higher.(b)For the H.T services disconnected on the request of the consumer, the monthly minimum charges based on the KVA demand shall be the actual recorded demand (when the disconnection is for part of a month) or such percentage of sanctioned demand declared by the Commission whichever is higher:Provided that where the licensee is prevented from supplying electricity owing to cyclone, floods, storms, fire, strike or lockout in the licensees' establishment or other occurrences beyond the control of the licensee, or if the licensee is satisfied that the consumer has been prevented from consuming electricity either in whole or in part for similar reasons, the licensee may recover from the consumer [minimum charges] [Substituted for the expression 'a minimum charge' by Commission's Notification No.TNERC/SC/7-4 dated 25.5.2007 (w.e.f 13.6.2007)] at twenty per cent of the billable demand or recorded demand whichever is higher besides charges for the actual consumption of electricity:Provided further that where the consumer has been prevented from consuming electricity, -(i)the consumer shall produce a certificate from the Labour Officer to that effect, indicating the period of lockout or strike or temporary closure and the date on which it was called off;(ii)the consumer shall give prompt intimation of the commencement of the lockout or strike so that the maximum demand meter can be reset. In the case of temporary closure, the consumer shall give intimation of the closure. The consumer shall give intimation to the licensee immediately after lifting of the strike, lockout or temporary closure:Provided also that, in the case of steel industries having more than one electric furnace in a HT service and when one or more electric furnaces are under total strike / closure, then, the benefit of billing on the actual recorded demand or the percentage as may be notified by the Commission, from time to time, of the sanctioned demand less the KVA load of the furnaces under total strike or closure whichever is higher shall be given. This provision is not applicable when there is lockout.(c)for the LT services disconnected as per the licensee's right to disconnect the supply or at the request of the consumer to disconnect supply, the monthly minimum charges shall be recovered by the licensee till the agreement is terminated.
