Ludhiana, Jan. 2 -- A serious lapse in routine monitoring by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has landed a large industrial unit in Mandi Gobindgarh with a retrospective demand of electricity charges of Rs.5.44 crore, exposing glaring gaps in administrative oversight for high load power connections.

The case relates to Shiva Casting Private Limited, a large supply consumer with a sanctioned load of 4,000 kW. From June 2023 to May 2024, the unit was billed using incorrect multiplying factors (MF) for its electricity meters, a mistake that went undetected for nearly 11 months despite clear norms requiring periodic inspections of high load connections.

As per official inspection records, the bidirectional meter installed ...