Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) on Tuesday requested consumers to make their payment against electricity consumption to enable JBVNL to make timely payment to power generation companies.

The JBVNL has also asked its customers if they can make advance payment assuring them that in case of excess payment the surplus amount will be adjusted in the next month billing.

The JBVNL asked customers to make online payment by visiting their website or through other digital payment modes.

Sources in the energy department said the lockdown has affected resource mobilisation of the JBVNL and the organisation may face financial crunch since the bill connection work has been badly affected because of the lockdown.

“During the lockdown people are staying at home and there is a major responsibility upon us to ensure power supply, besides quick maintenance and repair so that people don’t suffer. We understand problems being faced by the people but revenue generation is also an important aspect since everything else depends on this. That is the reason we have urged people if they can afford advance payment,” said an official with the department.

The JBVNL would also launch a self-billing application for customers.

Deputy general manager of Ranchi circle of JBVNL P.K. Srivastava said: “We have asked our customers to make payment on the basis of average consumption. The excess payment will be adjusted in the next billing. We will also launch a mobile application for customers for billing purpose. Due to the lockdown, we are unable to send our staff to generate power consumption bill, which can be done only after visiting individual households. Due to spread of the novel coronavirus we can’t open our Any Time Payment (ATP) machines for customers to make payment because it will be crowded. This is the reason we are asking people to make online payment on the basis of average consumption. It will help us to make timely payment to power production companies which supply us power.”

Across the capital there are 13 ATP machines.

Jharkhand mainly depends on NTPC, TVNL, DVC, some other private companies besides central pool for supply of power.

Last month, DVC had curtailed power supply to Jharkhand because of outstanding dues. Later the state government released Rs 200 crore to make payment to the DVC.

It has been observed that during the lockdown power consumption across Jharkhand has decreased.

Ranchi has 5.5 lakh consumers with average daily consumption of 230-240 megawatt.

“The consumption has marginally declined. This is around 200 to 210 megawatt,” said Srivastava.