RTI for GEDCOL GESC Electricity Goa Consumer Complaint

Electricity consumers in Goa frequently face billing anomalies they cannot explain, distribution transformer failures that leave neighbourhoods without power for days, and new connection applications that sit unacknowledged in administrative queues. The Right to Information Act, 2005 gives every Indian citizen the legal right to obtain specific records from the Goa Electricity Department (GED) — the state government body responsible for electricity distribution across Goa. Unlike many states that have privatised or corporatised electricity distribution, Goa continues to handle distribution directly through its Power Department. An RTI application does not guarantee an outcome, but it forces GED to produce the records that reveal what went wrong, who is responsible, and what the prescribed timelines are — giving you a strong documentary foundation for any follow-up complaint or escalation.

What Can You Achieve with RTI to Goa Electricity Department?

Filing an RTI application with the Goa Electricity Department can help you:

• Verify the basis of a disputed electricity bill — obtain the actual meter reading date and value, the tariff category applied, and a breakdown of all charges including energy, fixed charges, fuel surcharge, arrears, and taxes
• Establish whether estimated billing was used — confirm whether GED billed you on estimated or average consumption instead of an actual meter reading, and for how many consecutive cycles this has occurred
• Obtain a meter accuracy test result — check whether your meter has been tested and is within permissible error limits; if not, obtain GED's policy on mandatory testing intervals and the procedure for requesting a consumer-initiated meter test
• Track the repair of a failed distribution transformer — find out when the fault was reported, when the work order was raised, which officer is responsible, and what GED's own prescribed timeline for restoration is
• Monitor a new electricity connection application — identify the exact stage your application is at, the officer handling it, and the GERC-prescribed timeline for connection release
• Obtain supply outage records for your feeder or locality — get data on the frequency, total duration, and causes of unplanned power interruptions on your feeder over a specified period
• Examine action taken on a consumer complaint — confirm how GED recorded and resolved a complaint you lodged with their helpline, sub-divisional office, or online grievance portal
• Build a paper trail before escalating — an RTI response showing non-compliance with GED's own norms or GERC service standards is a powerful document when approaching the GERC Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum, the Goa State Information Commission, or the District Collector

Where to File: The Right Authority

The Goa Electricity Department (GED) is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, as a department of the Government of Goa. The State Public Information Officer (SPIO), GED, at Vidyut Bhawan, Panaji, Goa – 403001 handles RTI applications at the headquarters level.

For matters specific to a local sub-division — such as a transformer fault in a particular taluka or a new connection application filed at a sub-divisional office — you may also address your RTI to the SPIO at the relevant GED Division or Sub-Division office. Each division and sub-divisional office is required to designate its own SPIO under Section 5 of the RTI Act. If you are unsure of the local SPIO's details, filing at GED HQ in Panaji is the safer choice; the SPIO there is obligated under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act to transfer the application to the correct officer within five days.

A note on related entities: GEDCOL (associated with electricity generation and renewable energy in Goa) and GESC (an older reference to the Goa electricity supply entity) are distinct from GED. For consumer-facing issues — billing, new connections, transformer repair, and outage records — GED is the correct public authority to approach.

First Appellate Authority (FAA): If the SPIO does not respond or provides an incomplete or unsatisfactory response, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority at GED — an officer senior to the SPIO designated for this purpose.

Second Appeal: GED is a Goa State Government department. Second appeals go to the Goa State Information Commission (SIC) under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005 — not to the Central Information Commission (CIC).

How to File: Step by Step

Step 1: Gather Your Details

Before drafting the application, collect the following from your electricity bill and any complaint receipts:

• Your consumer account number (also called service connection number) and meter number — printed on every GED electricity bill
• The billing cycle in dispute (month and year) and the bill amount you are questioning
• The complaint or grievance reference number if you have already contacted GED's helpline or visited a sub-divisional office
• Your new connection application reference number (if your query relates to connection status)
• The date and approximate location or feeder name of the transformer fault (if querying about a supply outage or repair)

Step 2: Draft Your Application

Use the sample RTI draft on this page as a template. Include only the points relevant to your situation — you do not need to use all six points. Keep the language factual and specific: name the meter number, the billing period, the connection reference number, or the locality and feeder name. Avoid vague or emotional language; RTI is a request for specific information, not a complaint or a demand for action. Do not ask GED to fix your problem in the RTI itself — ask only for records and data.

Step 3: File Online or in Person

Visit goaonline.gov.in/rtionline, the official Goa government RTI online portal. Register or log in, select the Goa Electricity Department (Power Department) as the public authority, complete the application form, upload your draft, and pay the ₹10 application fee online. You will receive an acknowledgment with a registration number — keep this for tracking and any future appeal.

Alternatively, you may submit the application in person at GED HQ in Panaji or the relevant divisional/sub-divisional office, along with a ₹10 Indian Postal Order (IPO) drawn in favour of "State Public Information Officer, Goa Electricity Department", or in cash where accepted at the counter. BPL cardholders are exempt from the fee under Section 7(5) of the RTI Act; attach a self-attested copy of your BPL ration card.

Step 4: Track and Follow Up

After filing, note your registration number and track the status via the Goa RTI portal. GED must respond within 30 days from the date of receipt of the application. If the information concerns life or liberty — for example, a prolonged outage affecting a household member dependent on medical equipment — the response is due within 48 hours under the proviso to Section 7(1) of the RTI Act.

Step 5: Appeal If Needed

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): If GED does not respond within 30 days, or if the response is incomplete, incorrect, or evasive, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority at GED. The First Appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. There is no fee for an appeal.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): If the First Appeal is also unsatisfactory or unanswered, file a Second Appeal with the Goa State Information Commission (SIC) within 90 days of the date of the First Appellate Authority's decision or the expiry of the period allowed for that decision. The SIC can impose a penalty on the SPIO of ₹250 per day up to ₹25,000 under Section 20 of the RTI Act if the SPIO is found to have refused information without reasonable cause or caused an unreasonable delay.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Billing and Meter Records

1. The actual meter reading recorded for consumer account no. XXX for the billing cycle Month/Year, including the date on which the meter reading was physically taken at the premises
2. Whether the reading was taken in person or generated as an estimated or average figure, and the applicable GED regulation or GERC order permitting estimated billing in such circumstances
3. The complete bill computation showing energy charges, fixed charges, fuel surcharge, taxes, and arrears — with the GERC tariff order number and rate schedule under which each component was calculated
4. The number of consecutive billing cycles in the previous 12 months for which the meter was not physically read and billing was estimated or averaged

Meter Testing and Replacement

1. The date of installation of the meter at address and the date of the last accuracy test, if any
2. The percentage of error (if any) recorded in the meter accuracy test and the result (pass or fail)
3. GED's policy or GERC's order on the mandatory interval between meter accuracy tests and the consumer's right to request a test
4. Whether a meter replacement or testing has been sanctioned for the above consumer account — if yes, the date of sanction and the expected completion date

Transformer Repair and Supply Restoration

1. The date on which GED received the complaint or fault report for the distribution transformer serving locality / feeder name, and the complaint reference number assigned
2. The date of fault inspection, the fault diagnosis recorded by GED field staff, and the work order or indent raised for repair or replacement
3. The GED or GERC prescribed service standard for restoring supply after a distribution transformer failure, and whether this timeline has been exceeded in the present case
4. The name and designation of the officer responsible for supervising the repair or replacement work and the expected date of completion

New Connection Application

1. The date on which the new electricity connection application bearing reference number XXX was received at the relevant GED office and the acknowledgment issued to the applicant
2. The current stage of processing — whether site inspection, load feasibility assessment, estimate preparation, demand notice, or execution is pending — and the reason for any delay beyond the standard timeline
3. The GERC or GED prescribed timeline for releasing a new domestic, commercial, or agricultural connection from the date of receipt of a complete application
4. The name and designation of the officer currently handling the application and the expected date of connection release

Outage and Complaint Records

1. The number and total cumulative duration of unplanned power supply interruptions recorded on the feeder or section serving locality, Goa, during Month/Year to Month/Year, along with the cause recorded for each interruption and the time taken for restoration
2. A copy of the action-taken report or resolution note for consumer complaint reference XXX lodged on DD/MM/YYYY, the officer to whom it was assigned, and whether the complaint was closed — if so, on what date and on what basis