Verified: 15 April 2026 01:31 pm IST
Industry: Electricity Distribution (State PSU)
Jurisdiction: Krishna, Guntur, and Prakasam districts, Andhra Pradesh, India
Primary Regulator: Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC)
Important Safety Warning: Beware of the massive “Disconnection SMS Scam.” Scammers frequently send SMS or WhatsApp messages stating: “Dear Consumer, your electricity power will be disconnected tonight at 9:30 PM because your previous month’s bill was not updated. Please call our officer immediately.” This is a scam. Authentic APCPDCL staff will never send alerts from a personal 10-digit mobile number, nor will they ask you to download screen-sharing apps or pay via personal UPI links.
Level 1: Customer Support (Initial Complaint)
How to complain: Register your complaint (power outages, billing issues, transformer faults) directly via the APCPDCL official web portal, the APCPDCL mobile app, or by calling their 24/7 toll-free centralized helpline at 1912. You can also email them directly at customercare@apcpdcl.in.
Availability: The 1912 helpline and emergency outage reporting operate 24x7. Official customer care centers operate Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM IST.
Timeline: Standard service requests must be acknowledged immediately. APCPDCL aims to resolve general supply issues within 24 to 48 hours and standard billing complaints within 7 working days.
Source Verification: APCPDCL Customer Contact Information
Level 2: Internal Escalation (Grievance Redressal Officer / SE)
Who to contact: If Level 1 support fails or your ticket is closed without a fix, you must formally escalate to the Internal Grievance mechanism. You must submit a written complaint to the Superintending Engineer (SE) or the designated Grievance Redressal Officer (GRO) of your specific APCPDCL circle (Vijayawada, Guntur, or Ongole).
Timeline: Under APERC guidelines, the Circle officers must resolve escalated billing and supply disputes within 15 to 30 days.
Source Verification: APCPDCL Grievance Redressal Contacts
Level 3: Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF)
Authority: If the Superintending Engineer rejects your claim or fails to resolve the issue, you must file a formal petition with the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF). APCPDCL has established a CGRF (headquartered in Gunadala, Vijayawada) specifically to act as a quasi-judicial body for consumer electricity disputes.
Portal/Contact: You must submit your grievance in writing, via email (secretary-cgrf@apcpdcl.in), or via the online portal to the Chairperson of the APCPDCL CGRF.
Timeline: The CGRF is legally mandated to hear the case and issue a formal order within 45 to 60 days of receiving your petition.
Source Verification: APERC Consumer Grievance Redressal Guidelines
Level 4: Vidyut Ombudsman (Electricity Ombudsman)
Pre-Litigation: Do not use the e-Jagriti consumer court portal, the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), or CPGRAMS. Standard consumer courts and central portals do not have jurisdiction over statutory electricity disputes unless the Ombudsman process is completely exhausted.
Court/Arbitration: If you are aggrieved by the order of the CGRF, or if they fail to issue an order within the stipulated time, you must file an appeal representation to the Vidyut Ombudsman appointed by the APERC.
Timeline: You must file the appeal to the Ombudsman within 30 days from the date of receiving the CGRF order.
Source Verification: Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC)
Community Action: Is APCPDCL demanding massive arrears for a faulty meter, or are you looking for the correct template to file a case with the Vijayawada CGRF? Reply below (do not share your passwords, bank details, or your exact Consumer Service Numbers), and our citizen.complainthub.org community will point you to the right resources!