The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) has issued the “Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (Standards of Performance of Distribution Licensees) (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2026” to address clerical errors and regulatory inconsistencies in the standards governing electricity distribution licensees in the state.
The order, signed by Commission Secretary Rajendran K. V, aims to remove ambiguities that emerged following amendments made to the Standards of Performance of Distribution Licensees regulations earlier this year.
The principal regulatory framework was introduced by KSERC in January 2016. In March 2026, the Commission amended the regulations to align them with the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Power, along with subsequent amendments to those rules.
Following the regulatory changes, KSERC identified certain administrative and drafting discrepancies that could create difficulties in interpreting and implementing the provisions. The latest order has been issued to correct these issues and maintain consistency across different sections of the regulations.
One of the corrections relates to sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 19. The provision contained an erroneous additional set of brackets along with the figure “(2)” before clause (a). KSERC has removed the incorrect figure through the new order to eliminate potential confusion in the interpretation and enforcement of the provision.
The Commission has also addressed inconsistencies concerning the replacement of defective electricity meters. Earlier amendments to sub-regulations (15) and (16) of Regulation 4 introduced specific timelines for replacing defective Low Tension (LT) and High Tension (HT) meters. Corresponding changes were subsequently incorporated into the table under Regulation 5 and Schedule-I.
However, the relevant provisions under Serial Numbers 10 and 11 of Annexure II were inadvertently not updated. This resulted in a mismatch between the provisions contained in Annexure II and the amended requirements under the main regulations.
Through the 2026 Removal of Difficulties Order, KSERC has now formally amended Annexure II. Serial Number 10 specifies that defective licensee-owned LT meters must be replaced in accordance with the timelines prescribed under Regulations 117 and 118 of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 2014.
Serial Number 11 has similarly been revised to provide that replacement of defective licensee-owned HT meters must comply with Regulation 118 of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 2014.
KSERC issued the order under the powers conferred by Regulation 31 of the principal regulations. The Commission stated that the changes were made in the public interest to remove implementation difficulties and ensure consistency in compliance by electricity distribution licensees.
The order takes effect immediately from the date of its issuance.
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