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APTEL Orders DERC to Start Liquidating ₹38,500 Crore Dues, Rejects CAG Audit

The ruling speeds up recovery of about ₹38,500 crore with likely pressure on Delhi power bills.

Overview

  • APTEL, in a Monday order, told the Delhi power regulator to begin recovering long‑deferred dues within three weeks after rejecting its request for more time.
  • DERC must appoint an independent chartered‑accountant firm within a week for a strict audit and move ahead with true‑up orders, with June 30, 2026 set as the deadline for the FY24 true‑up.
  • These unpaid costs, called regulatory assets, built up because tariffs stayed flat since 2014–15 while power purchase and network costs rose, and they now carry added interest.
  • DERC’s filing pegs the total at ₹38,552 crore across BRPL, BYPL and TPDDL, and recovery typically shows up as a surcharge or higher tariffs unless the government funds part of the gap.
  • Delhi’s power minister said the government will explore legal options and seek to shield consumers, even as Supreme Court directions require time‑bound liquidation through 2031.