Nepal

Power supply to 925 persons cut in Pokhara

Power supply to 925 persons cut in Pokhara

By Himalayan News Service

Nepal Electricity Authority technician. Photo: Balkrishna Thapa Chhetri/THT

Pokhara, September 4 Nepal Electricity Authority Distribution Centre, Pokhara, has blacklisted 925 customers, and cut off power supply for failing to clear bills. The NEA informs customers before it cuts off power supply if they do not pay bills for up to three months. The NEA blacklists customers who fail to clear the bills for up to six months. Chief at NEA Distribution Centre, Pokhara Suraj Gautam said most customers whose power supply was cut off were individuals using power for household purposes. “We have cut off power supply of customers who have failed to pay their bills on time and blacklisted them. But they have still not paid their bills,” said sub-accountant at the NEA Distribution Centre, Pokhara, Dronaraj Baral. Baral said the number of people not paying dues had gone up in the last and current fiscal. NEA Pokhara is yet to recover dues of Rs 147,41 million. Pokhara Sub-metropolitan City has to pay Rs 109.52 million in dues for street lights. According to Baral, street lights in Pokhara consume 627.4 KW electricity. Those failing to pay electricity bills include people from villages, temples, and others. Baral said that temples have to clear dues worth Rs 1.7 million. Entrepreneurs and organisations, however, have been paying their electricity bills regularly in Pokhara. There are 68,692 customers under the Pokhara Distribution Centre.