Chandigarh, July 17 -- A day after Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL), the private firm managing the UT's electricity services, submitted a petition for electricity tariff hike, it stated that it is planning to invest Rs.956 crore over the next five years to revamp the city's ageing power infrastructure. In a statement on Wednesday, the firm claimed that over half of the city's infrastructure has surpassed its shelf life, leading to outages. To achieve better operational and financial efficiency, a rise in tariff has been proposed. CPDL director Arun Kumar Verma said the distribution network will undergo a major upgrade with new power transformers, underground cables, and replacement of worn-out equipment. "This will eliminate breakdowns and ensure uninterrupted, seamless power supply to consumers," he said. The firm informed that a Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) plan has been submitted to the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for approval. It has also called for setting up dedicated customer care centres, installing smart meters and replacing obsolete conventional meters, implementing enhanced safety protocols, and introducing digitisation and automation to boost operational efficiency. To provide easy access to connection-related information and receive timely updates on supply outages and billing through SMS and email, the CPDL has launched a drive to update consumer KYC details....