The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has issued a notice to industrial and commercial customers who previously utilized dedicated and trunk lines for electricity supply during load shedding, urging them to settle their outstanding dues within 15 days.

The NEA released a public announcement on Sunday, cautioning that failure to clear the dues within the stipulated 15-day period will result in the disconnection of services, in accordance with the provisions outlined in the electricity tariff collection regulations.

A study conducted by the Ministry of Energy has revealed that the NEA is still owed approximately Rs 20 billion in arrears and fines spanning from mid-July 2015 to May 2020, a period that followed the conclusion of load shedding.

All consumers who availed electricity supply through dedicated and trunk lines and have outstanding electricity tariff payments have been repeatedly notified to settle their arrears at the relevant distribution centers, as per Regulation 27(6) of the Nepal Electricity Authority’s Electricity Distribution Regulations, 2078.

The NEA has emphasized that should the arrears remain unpaid within the specified timeframe, actions will be taken in accordance with the provisions outlined in Regulation 10 of the Electricity Tariff Collection Regulations, 2078.

As per the Electricity Tariff Collection Regulations, 2078, consumers who clear their tariffs within 7 days from the receipt of the discounted bill will receive a 2% discount.

Tariffs paid between the 8th and 60th day after receiving the discounted bill will be charged at the regular rate, while tariffs paid after the 60th day will incur an additional 25% fee.