PUC scolds GPL over late bills, disconnections

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has engaged the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) following a number of complaints over the company’s distribution of bills for the July and August 2010 period and the subsequent disconnection notice published in the press.

The PUC said in a press release on Thursday from its Secretary Vidiahar Persaud that the issue of late receipts/non-receipt of bills by customers has been brought to the attention of the Commission and it will be acting “in the best interest of all stakeholders to find an acceptable position for all concerned.”

The Commission said it has reminded the GPL of the commitment it had given regarding the decision to disconnect for arrears not sooner than 29 days after the bill issue date instead of the 21 days period that was being used.

This commitment was given at a meeting held between the two parties on June 30, 2010 in the Commission’s Boardroom, the release noted.

However, the PUC stated that the recent complaints received and the public notice published by the GPL seems to indicate that the power company intends to act contrary to the commitment given at that meeting.

The Commission also pointed out the difficulty consumers experience when bills arrive a few days before the ‘due date’ and are faced with disconnection, which comes with an additional cost.

And the practice of omitting the ‘billing date’ and only stating month and year in the ‘billing date’ column was also noted, the PUC said.

Meanwhile, the GPL has been requested to inform the PUC on the policy with regards to the number of days after the ‘bill issue’ date that consumers are disconnected, the release stated.

According to the PUC, due to the number of complaints received, the Commission wrote to the Guyana Power & Light Inc. pointing out that while the Electricity Sector Reform Act 1999; (ESRA)15. (3) States “…the omission to dispatch bills shall not release a consumer from the responsibility for the charges for electricity…” it also places an obligation on the part of the Company to issue bills as it states at 15. (4) that …”every bill shall be payable within twenty-one days of the issue of the bill…” and 15. (5) states that “a bill shall be deemed to be issued when it is posted.”

In the meantime, consumers are encouraged to contact the Commission on this or any other issue that may be affecting them. The commission can be contacted at its office at 298 Church Street, Queenstown, Georgetown on telephone number 226-7042, or website www.puc.org.gy.