The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) has released a draft for the Fifth Amendment to its 2013 regulation related to the duty of electricity distribution licensees to supply power and recover expenses for laying electrical lines. Issued in May 2026, the draft aims to bring more clarity and transparency to electricity connection charges across the state. The proposed amendment also seeks to remove confusion faced by consumers and developers regarding service connection costs, especially in residential and multi-storied buildings.

The Commission stated that the amendment was prepared after receiving several requests and feedback from major power distribution companies in the state, including APSPDCL, APCPDCL, and APEPDCL. In addition, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI), Andhra Pradesh, raised concerns over the financial burden faced by residents of apartment complexes and the lack of clarity in the earlier rules. Based on these representations, APERC decided to revise and simplify the implementation process.

One of the key changes proposed in the amendment is the clarification of the “1 km limit” for electrified networks. According to the draft, for both Low Tension (LT) and High Tension (HT) service connections, the existing electricity network must be available within a radial distance of one kilometer from the consumer’s premises. The total length of the service line, including both HT and LT portions, should also remain within this one-kilometer limit.

The amendment also introduces new rules for apartments and multi-storied residential buildings. Under the draft, the connected loads of all individual residents in a building will be added together to calculate the total connected load. Residential consumers will continue to have the option of paying either fixed service charges or estimated costs. However, if the cumulative connected load of the building exceeds 150 kW, the service connection will be provided only on the basis of estimated costs. This move is expected to bring better transparency in large residential projects.

APERC has also included provisions related to dedicated Distribution Transformers (DTRs). Consumers with loads below 20 kW may choose to have a dedicated transformer by paying the full estimated cost of the transformer and associated electrical lines. In such cases, the distribution licensee will not be allowed to extend supply from that transformer to any other consumer.

The draft further specifies charges for additional load requirements. Consumers with an existing dedicated DTR seeking extra load within the available transformer capacity will be charged ₹2,000 per kW. If the additional load requirement exceeds 20 kW and requires a new transformer or augmentation of the existing one, the charge will be ₹12,600 per kW for the requested additional load.

The regulation also provides relief in augmentation cases. If the per-kW charges collected are higher than the actual cost difference between the old and upgraded transformer, the excess amount will be adjusted in the consumer’s future electricity bills. Once officially published in the government gazette, the amendment will come into effect across Andhra Pradesh.

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