NEW RULES FOR TTEC

The Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) has introduced 15 quality of service standards within which the electricity transmission and distribution sector must operate. These include six guaranteed standards which provide individual protection of consumer rights to electricity and nine overall standards which deal with situations where it is inappropriate to provide individual guarantees, but where customers have a right to expect minimum levels of service.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Sharon Lee Assang of the RIC Corporate Communications Depart-ment explained that this was the first time the RIC had created regulations for any industry. “Before this,” she said, “the service providers basically went about their business providing the best service they could. These standards were set to ensure that they provide a quality service to consumers.” The regulations, she stated, were set through a series of public consultations with various agencies as well as the National Regulations Commission. These consultations were followed by a draft which was circulated to major stakeholders, before being put out for public comment. “They are not just pulled out of thin air,” she said.

The guaranteed overall standards (GOS) include the response and restoration of supply which states that the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (TTEC) is required to respond and restore supply after unplanned outages on the distribution system within 12 hours. Customers shall be eligible for further compensation for each additional 12-hour period, the standard states. It goes on to note that residential and commercial customers must receive their first bill within 65 days and industrial customers within 35 days after connection, while customers must have their supply reconnected within 24-hours after payment of overdue amounts or upon agreement on a payment schedule.

Additionally, within 35 days after receiving a claim for liability or breach of the guaranteed standard, TTEC is required to investigate, determine liability and compensate if necessary. The overall standards state that line faults should be repaired within 48 hours and that bills should be mailed within ten working days after meter readings or estimation. Customers, the standards said, should be given at least 72 hours advance notice of planned outages, while all voltage complaints must be responded to within 24 hours and rectified within 15 working days.