DGVCL Helplines: How to File an Electricity Complaint to Dakshin Gujarat VIJ Company Ltd?

Dakshin Gujarat VIJ Company Ltd (DGVCL) is a state-owned power distribution company. DGVCL supplies electricity to over 32 lakh consumers in seven districts of South Gujarat, namely Bharuch, Narmada, Surat (except part of Surat City), Tapi, Dangs, Navsari and Valsad. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited, a government company.

Have complaints about the electricity services of DGVCL? Call the toll-free customer care number, send an email, or register an online complaint related to power supply, electricity bills, or other Discom services. You may also visit the nearest DGVCL substation to submit a written complaint to the Executive Engineer (EE) of the Electricity Board (EB).

Circles and Divisions of DGVCL are:

• Bharuch Circle: Bharuch, Ankleshwar, Rajpipla, and Jhagadia
• Surat Rural Circle: Bardoli, Mandvi, Olpad, and Vyara
• Valsad Circle: Valsad, Navsari, Pardi, and Dharampur

You can complain to DGVCL about:

• Power Outages
• Electricity Supply
• New Connection
• Load Change
• Name Change
• Energy Bill Payment
• Wrong Energy Bill
• Online Payment
• Solar Portal
• Meter Reading
• Error in Meter
• Transformer failures
• Supply Disconnection
• Higher Tariff Charges
• Billing Disputes

Not resolved to your expectation within the resolution period? Escalate the unresolved complaint to the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF) of DGVCL. Further, you may approach the Electricity Ombudsman, Gujarat.

Note: For the violation of consumer rights, you can file a consumer complaint against the DGVCL to the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), a consumer protection authority or the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

Level 1: Customer Care, DGVCL

According to the citizen charter, the complaint redressal mechanism is divided into 3 levels. At level 1, contact the DGVCL customer support or officials using the electricity complaint number, helplines, email, or online complaint registration form.

Submit your concern to the customer service representative, including the following details:

• DGVCL Account Number
• Location of Issue
• Pol Number (If known)
• Nature of the problem such as a power outage, billing discrepancy, or any other issue.
• Supporting Document (if any); for example, attach a photo of a faulty meter or a billing statement that requires clarification.

After the successful submission of your concern, must get the reference number for your complaint or note down the ticket ID if you submit your complaint online. This reference number or ticket ID will be used for tracking the progress of your complaint and for any future communications regarding the escalation of the grievance.

DGVCL Electricity Helpline Number

Click the customer care numbers to call or register your electricity complaint.

1. Customer Helpline Number:

Not resolved by DGVCL officials? Escalate the complaint to the CGRF Forum of DGVCL at level 2.

2. Call the Local Complaint Center (Circle/Sub-Division):

Need more contact details? Click to contact the Circle, Divisional, and Sub-Divisional Office of DGVCL.

Online Electricity Complaint

Customers can also register an online complaint about electricity supply cuts, power failures, and other billing issues to DGVCL. You may use social channels, emails, and apps to raise your concerns with the Dakshin Gujarat Electricity Board (GUVNL).

Visit these links to lodge your online complaint or access online DGVCL services.

Level 2: Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF), DGVCL

DGVCL’s Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF) is a grievance redressal panel established in compliance with Section 42(5) of The Electricity Act, 2003, and (Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum and Ombudsman) Regulations, 2011. It serves as an independent body to address consumer disputes and grievances related to electricity distribution. If the electricity complaints are not resolved by DGVCL officials or customer care, escalate the grievance to CGRF Forum.

Required Details:

Individuals filing complaints with CGRF are required to provide the following details:

• Download: Grievance Forum (English)
• Name and Address of the Complainant
• Distribution Licensee: DGVCL
• Reference/Acknowledgement Number of previous complaints
• Service Connection or Account Number
• Date and Time of Grievance
• Nature and Details of Complaint
• Relevant Documents: Attach copies of bills, receipts, or relevant correspondence.
• Relief Sought from the Forum: Specify the desired resolution or relief.
• Declaration: Affirm that the same grievance has not been filed elsewhere.

Grievance letters can be submitted in writing on plain paper or using the prescribed format available for download.

You will get an immediate acknowledgement for in-person complaints and within two working days for those submitted through post/email/fax/contact center.

Please note: The complaint will be resolved by the CGRF Forum within a maximum limit of 45 days from the date of grievance receipt.

Contact CGRF

Contact details of the respective DGVCL circle or CGRF offices where you can submit your electricity grievance are provided below.

1. Surat Forum

Jurisdiction: Bharuch, Surat, Narmada and Tapi.

2. Valsad Forum

Jurisdiction: Valsad , Navsari and Dangs.

Have your complaints not been resolved? File a petition against DGVCL to the Electricity Ombudsman, Gujarat.

Level 3: Electricity Ombudsman, Gujarat

The Electricity Ombudsman Office, established under the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) (Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum & Electricity Ombudsman) Regulation and the Electricity Act, 2015, serves as a quasi-judicial body for consumers dissatisfied with the final order or unresolved complaints from the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF) of DGVCL within 45 days.

You have to submit the representation within 30 days from the date of the DGVCL Forum’s order. Visit the link below to file an appeal.

• Click: File a Complaint to the Electricity Ombudsman, Gujarat

Please note: No charges are applicable for submitting the petition or grievance application. The DGVCL comes under the jurisdiction of the Electricity Ombudsman (Ahmedabad) Office.

Still, not satisfied with the final order? You can appeal before the respective regulatory authority or approach the Gujarat High Court.

Types of Complaints

Resolve these power supply and electricity service issues related to DGVCL:

1. Power Supply:

• Frequent unplanned power outages or electricity cuts affecting households, businesses, and industries.
• Voltage fluctuations causing damage to electronic devices and appliances.
• Inadequate infrastructure maintenance leading to equipment failures, such as transformer breakdowns and power line faults.

2. Billing and Tariff Disputes:

• Inaccurate meter readings resulting in billing errors.
• Challenges in resolving billing disputes, causing financial concerns for consumers.
• Lack of clarity in tariff structures leading to confusion and dissatisfaction, for example, complex rate tiers (tariffs)for different usage levels.

3. Customer Service:

• Inefficient complaint resolution or ignorance by customer support.
• Corrupt behaviour or misconduct of the engineers or officers of DGVCL.
• Lack of user-friendly online platforms for bill payment and issue reporting.

4. Load Shedding:

• Unpredictable load shedding disrupting critical business hours and industrial production.
• Lack of proper scheduling causing disruptions in daily life, for instance, during peak hours or important community events.
• Insufficient communication to consumers about planned load shedding.

1. Safety and Infrastructure:

• Safety risks due to poorly maintained power lines and electrical infrastructure.
• Inadequate investment in upgrading ageing infrastructure affecting overall service reliability.
• Insufficient capacity to handle growing energy demands in specific areas, resulting in overloads and increased vulnerability to outages.
• Violation of regulatory compliance of the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC).

Reference

• Dakshin Gujarat VIJ Company Ltd (dgvcl.com)
• gerc-regulation2019.pdf (gercin.org)