With a view to ensuring that government offices are ready to pay their power bills in pre-paid mode from June 1, the Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (SPDCL) has served notices on the heads of all departments to clear by May 10 their pending power dues, which have mounted to ₹ 8,000 crore.

In a letter, which was also addressed to Special Chief Secretary of Energy Ajay Mishra, chairman and managing director of SPDCL G. Raghuma Reddy requested the former to take steps for seamless transition from post-paid to pre-paid mechanism of payment of power bills by government departments.

In view of the rollout of pre-paid mechanism from June 1, Mr. Reddy requested Mr. Mishra to issue instructions to all heads of departments to release the budget for payment of current consumption (CC) charges in advance and clear their outstanding dues together with cost of pre-paid meters installed at the establishments by May 10.

Mr. Reddy recalled that the SPDCL had already installed 10,918 pre-paid meters for government services on pilot project. Letters were addressed to all HODs to clear outstanding dues, pay one month average amount towards first recharge amount in pre-paid mode and the cost of the new meters. After successful testing of the pilot project, the SPDCL had decided to extend pre-paid meter billing to 20 select services in government sector in the first phase from June 1 in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits.

Separately, Mr. Reddy addressed a letter to Principal Secretary of Industries and Commerce Jayesh Ranjan, informing him that the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation and two other agencies in industries were selected for billing under pre-paid mechanism.