Chennai EB bills have become a point of dispute in Mugalivakkam, where residents of VGN Lakshmi Nagar’s Kumarasamy Street allege that incorrect meter readings are pushing households into higher electricity tariff slabs. The residents have urged the Tamil Nadu electricity board to verify the readings, correct the bills and charge consumers according to their actual usage.
According to a report by DT Next, residents said bills were being calculated on the assumption that electricity meters had crossed specified consumption thresholds before the corresponding units had actually been consumed. They alleged that this method resulted in charges for higher slabs and increased the amount payable by consumers.
Residents cited the example of a household that had consumed 480 units but could be billed as if its consumption had exceeded 500 units because of an incorrect meter reading. Such a difference can affect the applicable tariff slab and raise the final electricity bill, they said.
The dispute centres on the timing and accuracy of meter readings. Residents alleged that readings were not taken on the scheduled dates, creating a mismatch between actual consumption and the units recorded for billing. They have asked the electricity board to examine the records and issue revised bills based on verified readings.
The residents also raised concerns about the time available to pay. They said details of the electricity charges for their apartment complex were uploaded only on the 10th of the month, leaving them six days to make payment instead of the usual 15-day period. The shorter payment window, they alleged, was linked to delays in recording or uploading the billing information.
For consumers, the complaint combines two separate issues: whether the units recorded on the meter accurately reflect household consumption, and whether billing information is made available with enough time for payment. Both affect the amount a household is asked to pay and the period it has to review the bill or raise a complaint.
The residents’ request is for the Tamil Nadu electricity board to compare the disputed bills with actual meter readings, correct any errors and issue bills reflecting verified consumption. The report did not include a response from the electricity board on the allegations or indicate whether an inspection had been scheduled.
The immediate next step sought by residents is a review of the meter readings and billing records for the apartment complex, followed by corrections wherever discrepancies are found.
