Chapter XII ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

(1) It shall be the duty of the Council to develop and maintain an efficient, co-ordinated and economical system of electricity supply for New Delhi area under its jurisdiction and for that purpose to take steps from time to time— (a) acquiring supplies of electricity and its distribution to consumers; (b) for preparing and carrying out in accordance with rules made in this behalf schemes for distribution of electricity. (2) In the discharge of its functions in relation to electricity supply, the Council shall, as far as practicable— (a) promote the use of all economical methods of transmitting and distributing electricity; (b) secure the development of supplies of electricity; (c) secure the extension of supplies of electricity to areas without such supplies; (d) promote the standardisation of systems of supply and types of electrical fittings; (e) promote the simplification and standardisation of methods of charge for supplies of electricity.

(1) The Council may take steps to manufacture, purchase, sell or let on hire on the execution of a hire purchase agreement or otherwise, any electrical machinery, control gear, fittings, wires or apparatus for lighting, heating, cooling or motive power or for any other purpose for which electricity can or may be used, or any industrial or agricultural machinery operated by electricity, and to install, connect, repair, maintain or remove such machinery, control gear, fitting, wires or apparatus and in respect thereof demand and take such remuneration or rents and charges and make such terms and conditions as it deems fit. (2) The Council may also maintain shops and show rooms for the display, sale or hire of machinery, control gear, fittings, wires or apparatus as aforesaid, conduct displays, exhibitions and demonstrations thereof and generally do all things, including advertising incidental to the sale or hire of such machinery, control gear, fittings, wires and apparatus and to the promotion and encouragement of the use of electricity. (3) Moneys received and expended in connection with additional functions specified in sub-sections (1) and (2) shall be shown separately in the accounts.

Subject to the provision of this Act the Council shall in respect of the New Delhi areas under its jurisdiction have all the powers and obligations of a licensee under the Electricity Act, 1910, and this Chapter shall be deemed to be the licence of the Council for the purposes of that Act: Provided that nothing in sections 3 to 12 of, or in clauses I to IX of the Schedule to, that Act relating to the duties and obligations of a licensee shall apply to the Council.

(1) No building, wall or other structure shall be newly erected and no street or railway shall be constructed over, or in such a manner as to interfere with, any work constructed or maintained for the purposes of the electric supply except with the written permission of the Chairperson. (2) The Chairperson may cause any building, wall or other structure erected, or any street or railway constructed in contravention of sub-section (1), to be removed or otherwise dealt with as he deems fit, and the expenses incurred therefor shall be paid by the person or authority responsible and shall be recoverable from such person or authority as an arrear of tax under this Act.

(1) The Council may enter into an agreement with any licensee within or outside New Delhi in regard to the purchase of electricity and price thereof and within New Delhi in regard to sale and price thereof or in regard to operation or control of any generating station or main transmission line and notwithstanding anything contained in any law or in any licence, memorandum of association or other instrument regulating the constitution and powers of the licensee, it shall be lawful for the licensee to enter into and carry out any agreement. (2) In entering into an agreement under this section the Council shall not show any undue preference to any licensee.

Subject to the provisions of any law for the time being in force, charges shall be leviable for the supply of electricity by the Council at such rates as may, from time to time, be fixed by the Council.

(1) The Council shall receive bulk supply of electricity from the authority which may be prescribed by the Central Government. (2) The Council shall be entitled to receive bulk supply of electricity from that authority prescribed by the Central Government subject to such terms and conditions as may be determined by means of a contract entered into between that other authority and the Council. The contract mentioned in this sub-section shall provide also for a stipulation therein that disputes between that other authority and the Council in regard to any matter relating to the bulk supply of electricity to the Council shall be referred to the Central Government whose decision thereon shall be final and binding on both parties.