The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission has been established by the
Government of Bihar under Section 17 of the Electricity Regulatory
Commissions Act,1998 vide Government of Bihar Notification no. 1284
dated 15th April, 2002. The Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998
along with the Indian Electricity Act, 1910 and Electricity (Supply)
Act, 1948 was repealed by Section 185 of the Electricity Act, 2003. The
first proviso of Section 82 (1) has ensured continuity of the Commission
along with that of State Electricity Regulatory Commissions by laying
down that the State Regulatory Commission established by the State Govt.
under Section 17 of Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998, and
functioning as such immediately before the appointed date shall be the
State Commission for the purpose of the Electricity Act, 2003.
The
BERC was constituted in May 2005. The first Chairman of the Commission
was Hon’ble Justice B.N.P. Singh who took oath of office on 20th May,
2005 before His Excellency the Governor of Bihar and retired on 17th
April, 2007. The other Members namely Shri B.K. Halder and Shri S.K.
Jayaswal who were appointed in May, 2005 and took oath of Office on 11th
July and 26th July, 2005 respectively before His Excellency the
Governor of Bihar. The Commission became functional from 15th August,
2005. The Commission is located at Vidyut Bhawan-II, Jawahar Lal Nehru
Marg (Bailey Road), Patna 800 021.
The Electricity Act, 2003 has
come into force w.e.f. 10.06.2003 consolidating the laws relating to
Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Trading and use of
Electricity and for taking measures conducive to the development of
Electricity Industry, promoting competition therein, protecting interest
of consumers and supply of electricity to all, rationalization of
electricity tariff, ensuring transparent policies regarding subsidies,
promotion of efficient and environmentally benign policies. Generation
has been delicensed to promote power generation and reduce the gap
between demand and supply to the least possible. This Act aims to
promote investment through private participation and also to provide the
consumers with quality power and service at the reasonable and
affordable cost. It also protects the private investors by protecting
the investment by grant of return on the investment. It is expected that
the competition in power sector will bring better technology, improved
service and reduced cost making the electricity cheaper for the
end-users.
FUNCTIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION
(1) The State Commission shall discharge the following functions, namely–
(a)
determine the tariff for generation, supply, transmission and wheeling
of electricity, wholesale, bulk or retail, as the case may be, within
the that State: Provided that where open access has been permitted to a
category of consumers under section 42, the State Commission shall
determine only the wheeling charges and surcharge thereon, if any, for
the said category of consumers;
(b) regulate electricity
purchase and procurement process of distribution licensees including the
price at which electricity shall be procured from the generating
companies or licensees or from other sources through agreements for
purchase of power for distribution and supply within the State;
(c) facilitate intra-state transmission and wheeling of electricity;
(d)
issue licences to persons seeking to act as transmission licensees,
distribution licensees and electricity traders with respect to their
operations within the State;
(e) promote congenration and
generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy by providing
suitable measures for connectivity with the grid and sale of electricity
to any person, and also specify, for purchase of electricity from such
sources, a percentage of the total consumption of electricity in the
area of a distribution licence;
(f) adjudicate upon the disputes between the licensees, and generating companies and to refer any dispute for arbitration;
(g) levy fee for the purposes of this Act;
(h) specify State Grid Code consistent with the Indian Electricity Grid Code specified with regard to grid standards;
(i) specify or enforce standards with respect to quality, continuity and reliability of service by licensees;
(j) fix the trading margin in the intra-State trading of electricity, if considered, necessary; and
(k) discharge such other functions as may be assigned to it under this Act.
(2) The State Commission shall advise the State Government on all or any of the following matters, namely :-
(i) promotion of competition, efficiency and economy in activities of the electricity industry;
(ii) promotion of investment in electricity industry;
(iii) reorganization and restructuring of electricity industry in the State;
(iv)
matters concerning generation, transmission , distribution and trading
of electricity or any other matter referred to the State Commission by
State Government.
(3) The State Commission shall ensure transparency while exercising its powers and discharging its functions.
(4)
In discharge of its functions the State Commission shall be guided by
the National Electricity Policy, National Electricity Plan and National
Tariff Policy notified by Central Government under Section 3 of
Electricity Act, 2003.
Office Address:
Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission
Ground Floor, Vidyut Bhawan-II
B.S.E.B. Campus, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg (Bailey Road),
Patna - 800021
Bihar ( India )
Phone : 091-612-2504489, 2505280
Fax : 0612-2504488
Email: bercpat@berc.co.in
secretaryberc@gmail.com
Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission
Ground Floor, Vidyut Bhawan-II
B.S.E.B. Campus, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg (Bailey Road),
Patna - 800021
Bihar ( India )
Phone : 091-612-2504489, 2505280
Fax : 0612-2504488
Email: bercpat@berc.co.in
secretaryberc@gmail.com
website : http://berc.co.in