Gurgaon: Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has initiated a monitoring mechanism to clear a large backlog of average and provisional (AV/PR) billing cases.During a recent review of billing efficiency, the utility recorded 93.5% OK billing — bills based on actual meter readings — against a target of 98%. Officials identified 25 sub-divisions with less than 90% OK billing as the primary contributors to the shortfall, prompting intensified monitoring.Provisional billing refers to electricity bills issued when actual meter readings are unavailable — often due to faulty or inaccessible meters. In such cases, utilities estimate consumption based on past usage patterns. Average billing is a similar mechanism where consumption is calculated using historical averages instead of real-time readings.The review revealed over 2.4 lakh pending AV/PR cases for Feb-March 2026, including over 1.2 lakh cases in the Delhi zone and over 1.1 lakh in the Hisar zone. Sub-divisions in Faridabad, Narnaul, Gurgaon, Palwal, Hisar, Fatehabad, Jind and Bhiwani were among the worst performers.DHBVN Managing Director and Special Energy Secretary Vikram Singh, during the review of the utility, flagged the high number of provisional and average billing cases and mandated fortnightly reviews at headquarters, weekly monitoring at circle level and daily tracking by field officers. Officials have also been directed to update progress reports daily to ensure accountability.Heavy reliance on provisional or average billing often leads to inaccurate charges, consumer disputes and revenue uncertainty for utilities. Consumers may be overcharged or undercharged, resulting in billing shocks when corrections are made later. It also reflects operational inefficiencies such as faulty meters, delayed replacements or poor field monitoring.Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has repeatedly directed power utilities to minimize provisional billing and ensure timely meter reading and replacement. The regulator has emphasized that provisional billing should only be a temporary measure and must be regularized within a stipulated timeframe. It has also flagged the need for improving metering infrastructure and accountability to avoid consumer grievances.At present, DHBVN has a provisional billing rate of 6.5%. This is not within the permissible limit of 0.1% as per the Standards of Performance (SoP) regulations.DHBVN has ordered immediate correction of all provisional bills where meters are functional, converting them into OK billing status. With adequate meter stock now available, officials have been directed to prioritize the replacement of defective meters and clear pending AV/PR cases on a priority basis.Additionally, the utility has set phased targets to improve billing performance — sub-divisions below 70% OK billing must reach 80%, those at 80% must achieve 90%, and higher-performing units must progressively reach 98%.In a significant directive, the corporation has barred the use of average or provisional billing for solar, high-tension and low-tension connections under any circumstances.The move is aimed at improving billing accuracy, reducing consumer complaints and strengthening the overall financial health of the power utility.
