Following  the advent of power reforms in the country, the Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Limited (APEPDCL) was formed on the 31st of March, 2000,  to serve as a Distribution Company of AP Transco. 

APEPDCL, Visakhapatnam is the leading Indian power utility serving a consumer base of over 4 million spread across five districts in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. It has always been a pioneer in delivering technology centric customer care services to its customers. EPDCL has the lowest AT&C losses and one of the best in terms of operational efficiency.

APEPDCL  is responsible for undertaking distribution and bulk supply of power in the operation circles of Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, East and West Godavari districts and 17 Divisions of Coastal Andhra Pradesh.  APEPDCL supplies power to over 42 lakh consumers belonging to different categories through a network consisting of  427 Sub-stations of 33 KV level, 1807 feeders of 11 KV level and more than 93,204 distribution transformers of different levels.  The Corporate Office and Headquarters of APEPDCL is situated at Visakhapatnam.

Serving with smile

• To ensure reliable, efficient and sufficient power supply to consumers.

• To ensure a balanced all-round development of power infrastructure in all circles of operation.

• To ensure operational efficiency through managerial, functional autonomy and technological up gradation.

• To focus on customer care and customer service in all spheres of activity, by maintaining good quality and cost-effectiveness in power distribution.

• Integration of customer database with GIS for all 29 towns of APEPDCL for better linkage between customer and network elements i.e., pole, distribution transformer, feeder and sub station

• HT Metering Information Management System (MIMS), an in house application  under development for tracking Metering Installation for HT Consumers

• Strengthening transmission and distribution infrastructure

• Conducting a special drive against Electricity Pilferage 

Key Achievements

• 47 Nos. new 33/11 KV Sub-stations charged under JBIC & internal funding with a total cost of Rs.65 Crs.
• Augmentation of 78 Nos. Power Transformer capacities completed for 27 Crs.
• 8935 Nos. new DTRs charged for Rs 102 crs.
• HVDS conversion completed covering 8,560 Nos. Pump sets with an expenditure of Rs. 103 Crs.
• DTR failures reduced to 1.29%.
• Automatic meter reading of HT services and feeders in Vizag and Vizianagaram circles is completed.
• Repairs & Maintenance of existing network started in a drive mode with an allocation of about Rs 20 Crs to further improve supply reliability and customer delight besides technical loss reduction.
• Segregation of Non Agricultural loads completed for 200 Nos rural feeders to ensure 7 hrs. quality supply for agricultural consumers.
• ISO 9001-2000 certification achieved for 5 Nos. Operation Divisions and for corporate Office.
• Call centers are standardized for enhanced customer satisfaction.
• Any Time Payment (ATP) machines installed at 4 Nos. locations in Visakhapatnam.
• Bill payment through internet introduced.
• Distribution of CFLs taken up under CDM and distribution completed in 2 sections for 20000 consumers in Visakhapatnam District .
• Distribution losses reduced from 9.46% to 7.78% resulting in savings of 71 MU with a monitory savings of Rs. 24 Crs.
• Line clear module integrated with Customer Service Centers to have quick data of scheduled outages and interruptions.
• IVRS facility introduced in Visakhapatnam city and a promotion campaign launched to encourage max utilization
• Feeder franchising implemented for 8 Nos. 11 KV feeders in tribal areas
• Under RGGVY 1,86,824 Nos. Rural Households are electrified out of which 1,58,542 Nos. are BPL beneficiaries. , 251 Nos. Habitations were electrified.
• SAP implemented throughout APEPDCL.

Other Achievements

• Section Office Automation taken up in a big way by value additions in Eastern Power Information Management and Reporting System ( EPIMRS)
• MRI compatible meters fixed to all 11 KV feeders for better energy audit.
• Wide Area Network (WAN) provided to all Divisions and EROs for effective data transmission
• Comprehensive Revenue Accounting System ( RAS) launched to have an integrated software billing and revenue accounting of the company.
• Pilot project on PLCC based Automatic meter reading taken up in Auto Nagar section in Vizag.

• 127 Nos. new 33/11 KV Sub-stations and augmentations at 31 Nos. existing 33/11 KV Sub-stations under JBIC, RGGVY & internal funding with a total cost of Rs.155 Crs.
• HVDS works for balance pump sets with an estimated cost of Rs. 150 Crs.
• Balance RGGVY works will be completed.
• Centralised server installation and data integration to make APEPDCL as single data base.
• Wide Area Network (WAN) up to all Sub-Divisions and sections.
• Revenue Accounting System (RAS) for remaining 4 circles.
• GIS based consumer indexing implementation and integration with RAS.
• IVRS for other major towns in APEPDCL.
• Installation of ATP machines in major towns of APEPDCL.
• Introduction of electricity bill collection through ATMs, Credit Card swiping, mobile phones and spot collection machines.
• Consumer feedback drive taken up as a part of continuous improvements in consumer services.
• Implementation of SCADA for Visakhapatnam city.
• Fixing up of Capacitors on LV side of DTRs existing in agricultural feeders.
• Introduction of Time Of the Day (TOD) metering as a part of Demand Side Management.

Sale of Energy (MU)

Technical & Commercial Losses

Revenue Demand Versus Revenue Collections

APEPDCL has been in the forefront in reduction of Distribution Losses and in ensuring customer delight which are also the key objectives of the Power Sector Reforms. This has become possible by your dedicated efforts and enthusiasium for continuous improvements. As per the latest Quarterly performance research report of State Power utilities for the period of July-September 2008 conducted by Power Finance Corporation EPDCL stands 1st in having AT&C losses at 7%, Distribution Transformers failures at 0.5% and collection efficiency at 100%.

On the Operational front we have taken up a large scale drive on R&M of our lines and equipments to improve the quality of power supply and reduce technical losses in the system. We have also taken up for installation of TYCO clamps for 10 nos. Sub-stations in Visakhapatnam which minimizes contact resistance reduce Technical Losses and supply interruptions.

We have standardized the call centre operations and also IVRS introduced in Siripuram call centre. In future centralized call centre with IVRS is will be established at Siripuram call centre that can handle all the calls originating from 5 districts for all complaints and service request including new service connection. RAS (Revenue Assurance System) has been implemented in Visakhapatnam Circle from December 2008 to streamline the billing system. RAS will be extended to four Districts within short time. ISO implementation for all offices in the Company is going on in full swing. With increased focus on Energy Audit we replaced all non standard feeder meters with MRI compatible meters. In order to reduce the work load the meter reading tasks both for feeders and high value services are outsourced. Our key focus is to ensure that the Human Resources are optimally utilized for the core improvements in the sector.

  

Automatic Meter Reading for feeders and HT services is rolled out to other circles and the work is in progress. AMR tender is also in process for high value services. Spot Billing Activity is getting streamlined after we brought in stringency in the eligibility criteria and in the agreement conditions. SCADA system is being streamlined by making the equipment SCADA ready for incorporating control functions. An initiative is taken up 2 nos. existing SCADA sub-stations unmanned and the process of finalization with ABB is in progress.

ATP Machine

The process of achievement will not be meaningful without the active involvement of the employees in a Company. Let us all take a solemn pledge to work sincerely, selflessly and with dedication for the good of our company on this auspicious occasion. Let us commit ourselves to making the APEPDCL a model Power Distribution Company in India and in the World.

On the Energy Conservation front, the Distribution of CFL Bulbs is taken up in Visakhapatnam District. After certain initial procedural delays, the Distribution has now picked up momentam and the distribution of 6.5 lakhs CFLs will be completed in a couple of months. For the first time we have initiated TOD metering for HT Consumers and the methodology is being finalized by KPMG consultants. Fixing of capacitors on Agl. DTRs is also entrusted to M/s VIZ Technologies under a pilot project.

• APEPDCL has been at the forefront in social welfare activities. It has taken up measures to ensure empowerment of women in the district and town levels by engaging with welfare associations such as DWCRA and Chaitanya Sravanthi  by employing women for the collection of electricity bills.

• A study on subsidy delivery mechanism in agriculture is being undertaken by a  Lok Satta task force in East and West Godavari districts as a pilot programme.

Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Limited (APEPDCL) is embarking on a drive to provide next generation of customer services unheard of in the Indian power distribution sector. As part of this initiative APEPDCL is launching a series of customer friendly services based on its state-of-the-art centralized call center.

Single number for all consumers: All the calls made to 155333 from any where in the 5 districts of APEPDCL will land at the centralized call center in Visakhapatnam. The call center is operated round the clock throughout the year.

Single number for all services: Customers can use a single number (155333) to seek information, lodge complaints (including power failure, billing, payments), inform about power theft, and register service requests (including new service connection, title transfer, category change, load enhancement requests) over phone.

Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS): An advanced IVR system helps the customers to easily retrieve the required information, lodge complaints and place service requests without the intervention of customer representatives at the call center.

Customer facilitation centers: If a complaint or service request requires a fee to be paid to EPDCL or some documents to be submitted, the complaint/request is registered and the caller is requested to visit the nearest customer facilitation center by referring the registration number. All such complaints/requests would be resolved as per the service levels defined by the citizen charter, after the payment of fee and document submission.

Door-step services: If the customers do not have the time or convenience to visit the customer facilitation centers, they can avail the door-step service at a nominal charge. A messenger will be dispatched to customer premises to collect the fee and documents and issue a receipt for the same.

Privilege Desks: Exclusive customer support desks will be setup for high value and HT consumers and senior citizens to quickly register and resolve their requests.

These services are powered by advanced Customer Care and Interaction Management software’s eCare and eCall (of Phoenix mPower product suite) developed and deployed by Phoenix IT Solutions Ltd, Visakhapatnam on Software as a Service (Saas) model. Together they facilitate APEPDCL to offer many such services from concept to delivery with advanced features like ACD, CTI Skill based rooting, SMS, GIS /SCADA integration, call monitoring, recording, reporting, etc.

Most of the customer care centers of EPDCL operated by Phoenix are ISO 9001 certified. The customer services offered at these centers are of the highest standards achieving close to 100% service levels with close monitoring and escalation upto the CMD level. Many of the services at these centers are offered within shorter timeframes than those suggested by the Citizen Charter; for example new service connection within 48 hours, which is another first in the Indian utility sector.

• Bill payments can be made 365 days a year through Computerised Collection Centres, Commercial Banks, ATMs, 'e-seva' centres (especially in rural areas) and through Internet-based payment.
  
• Redressal of complaints on the spot through 'Vidyuth Sadassulu' and Sub-Station level meetings at the Municipalities and Mandal level.