By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 19: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided not to charge any fine on electricity tariff of the month of Falgun and Chitra if it is paid by the end of Baishakh (until May 13).
Despite the provision of charging fine to customers if they do not pay the bill on time, this new provision of not charging fine was made as per the decision of the Cabinet, said Kul Man Ghising, Managing Director of NEA.
The period of exempting fine to customers in delay of electricity bill payment would also be extended if the government lengthened the period of lockdown, Ghising said.
The government has enforced lockdown

until April 27 to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cabinet meeting held on March 29 had decided to give exemption on delay fines in payment of electricity tariff and not to cut lines if the consumers failed to pay tariff due to the lockdown.
“We are not able to read electricity meter of the household consumers due to the lockdown caused by the COVID-19. So, those consumers can pay tariff based on the earlier month bill through the eight online service providers authorized by the NEA,” Ghising said.
“We will adjust the amount paid by the consumers after reading their meter when the situation will be normal,” he added.
He said that NEA had mobilized its teams round the clock to ensure regular and reliable ower supply to the consumers even during this abnormal situation of lockdown and fear of coronavirus.
“I want to request our valued consumers to pay the tariff through the online system even during this situation to maintain the daily expenses and pay for the power suppliers. The cash flow situation of the NEA will be affected badly if the customers who have access to internet do not pay the tariff to the NEA,” he said.
He said that the NEA was expecting support from its customers by means of tariff pavement and save it from the possible financial crisis that had ensued in the wake of virus outbreak.
Similarly, the NEA has decided to provide two per cent discount if the customers paid the tariff of Chitra and Baishak by May 19, this year.
Based on the decision of the cabinet, the NEA has also decided to provide 25 per cent discount on electricity tariff above the minimum threshold to the customers of household sector who consume power up to 150 units a month.
Meanwhile, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barsaman Pun has urged the consumers to pay electricity bills online to save the NEA from possible financial risk.