Mescom holds annual meeting and public hearing

Mescom holds annual meeting and public hearing

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, April, 3, 2012: The Mangalore Electric Supply Company (Mescom) Limited held its annual meeting and public hearing at the conference hall in the DC’s office on April 3.

Vijaya Narasimha, the managing director of Mescom, presented the annual report, and mentioned in his address the need for the implementation of HVDS because of the presence of large single-phase circuits. He also said that the company intends to introduce HVDS by procuring single-phase transformers and has already begun a GIS survey of its distribution transformers for the development of the reliable TC data base, based on which the DPR will be prepared in the next 3 – 4 months. Mescom has also identified Puttur Division to implement HVDS, he added.

 

He also said that Mescom is obliged to provide electricity to rural areas in Shimoga and Chikmagalur under the RGGVY scheme, according to which areas with a population of over 100 were provided electric power. He also admitted that 8 villages still have no power supply because they are surrounded by dense forests. Tenders have been floated for providing electricity to the twin districts, he said, adding that the scheme covers 98 areas with 31,445 RHHs in DK and 50 areas with 10,288 in Udupi.

He also mentioned Mescom’s need to purchase energy from generators in order to cater to the requirements of its consumers and to maintain distributor systems at the maximum level.

He also listed out factors responsible for the rise in supply cost as follows—increase in power purchase cost, rise in O&M costs owing to increase in interest rate, finance charges, and inflation, and others. Regarding the company’s aims, he said that it aims to make the Kadri Sub Station automated, provide Internet connection to all section-level officers so that they can use email to communicate with customers, replace all 250kVA-capacity DTCs with low capacity DTCs in rural areas, and recondition all 11kV trunk lines with rabbit/coyote conductor.

However, when he urged the chairman of Mescom to hike electricity rates, Latha R. Kini, the president of the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, objected to it and also submitted a letter of objection to Shrinivas Murthy, the chairman of KERC. Claiming that Mescom only shows losses while making profits every year, she said that Mescom has also lost its credibility of late.