Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) has launched a 24×7 WhatsApp chatbot for consumers to register electricity complaints, including prolonged power outages, amid dissatisfaction with the existing grievance-redressal system.
Consumers can access the service by sending “HI” to 94987 94987 on WhatsApp. The chatbot will ask for complaint details using the consumer’s mobile number or electricity connection number and forward the issue to the concerned official for action.
The number is the same as the utility’s integrated call centre, Minnagam. TNPDCL said the WhatsApp facility is intended to make it easier for consumers to register complaints and ensure that they reach the appropriate officials without delay.
The launch comes after complaints from consumers about the effectiveness of the existing system, including cases in which complaints registered through the utility’s official mobile application were closed without the reported problem being attended to. The new channel is therefore designed not only to receive complaints but also to route them to the relevant officials.
The service is being introduced as several parts of Tamil Nadu have reported prolonged power outages, according to the report. For consumers, the chatbot provides an additional route to report interruptions and other electricity-related issues without relying only on the mobile application or the call centre.
TNPDCL said necessary action would be taken to resolve complaints within the stipulated time. The utility has not provided details in the supplied information about the specific service-level timelines for different types of complaints or how consumers will be able to track a complaint after it is forwarded.
The effectiveness of the new system will depend on whether complaints received through WhatsApp are acted upon within the stipulated period and whether cases are closed only after the underlying electricity problem has been addressed. For now, the chatbot adds a new digital access point to Tamil Nadu’s electricity grievance-redressal network.
