The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) has issued the Draft GERC (Standards of Performance of Distribution Licensees) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2026, proposing stricter timelines for electricity connections, automatic compensation for service delays, improved power reliability monitoring, and enhanced electrical safety requirements across Gujarat. The proposed amendments aim to improve consumer services and strengthen accountability among electricity distribution licensees operating in the state.
Under the draft regulations, distribution companies will be required to complete new electricity connections, load enhancements, service conversions, and connection shifting within specified deadlines after receiving valid applications. Where no network modification is required, the completion period will be three days in metropolitan areas, seven days in urban areas, and 10 days in rural areas.
For applications requiring network extensions or infrastructure upgrades, the timelines will depend on the nature and scale of the work. The proposed framework includes a 15-day deadline for low-tension (LT) line extensions of up to 150 metres. More complex projects involving extra-high-tension (EHT) lines or the construction and augmentation of substations may require up to 180 days.
The draft also requires distribution licensees to inform applicants about the estimated time of energisation in advance. This provision is intended to improve transparency and help consumers understand when their electricity supply is expected to become operational.
To strengthen consumer protection, GERC has proposed an automatic compensation mechanism for delays in providing new connections, enhancing sanctioned loads, or shifting services where network augmentation is not required. Under the proposed provisions, distribution companies will have to pay consumers ₹50 for every day of default beyond the prescribed timeline. The mechanism is expected to encourage utilities to meet service delivery deadlines and reduce delays in routine electricity-related services.
The amendment also seeks to strengthen monitoring of power supply reliability by aligning outage measurement with IEEE Standard 1366-2022. In addition to existing reliability indicators, distribution licensees will be required to monitor the Customer Average Interruption Frequency Index (CAIFI) and report the results quarterly and annually.
CAIFI measures the average frequency of sustained power interruptions experienced by customers affected during a reporting period. The other indicators include the System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI), System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI), and Momentary Average Interruption Frequency Index (MAIFI). Planned maintenance outages and disruptions caused by grid failures will be excluded from the reliability calculations, according to the draft.
On electrical safety, the proposed regulations require distribution licensees to comply with the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023. Utilities must regularly test electrical earthing systems and maintain comprehensive records of the testing activities to support safe and reliable operations.
Issued from Gandhinagar on October 17, 2026, by GERC Secretary Ranjeeth Kumar J., IAS, the draft regulations will apply to electricity distribution licensees across Gujarat. The amendments will take effect following their publication in the official gazette.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
