What is average, provisional and assessed billing?
When the meter is not read or is faulty, the discom bills an estimate based on your past use, and corrects it later. Also called average bill, provisional bill, assessed bill, RDF, IDF, ADF, RNT, RNA, door lock, meter status code.
- Plain English
- Official sources
- Bill terms A–Z
Average, provisional and assessed billing on your bill
If the reader cannot read the meter, or the meter is faulty, the bill uses an estimate.
The bill shows a status code. MSEDCL uses codes such as Faulty, Lock and RNT. Uttarakhand audit papers use ADF/IDF for a defective meter and RDF for a defective reading.
MSEDCL averages the past 3 months of actual readings. Example: 120, 150 and 180 units give an average of 150 units.
The Rights of Consumers Rules allow at most two provisional bills in a financial year.
When an actual reading is taken, the discom adjusts the difference. Send a photo of your meter reading if your bill is estimated.
Official sources
- Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, G.S.R. 818(E), 31-12-2020 (Gazette copy hosted by MERC), rule 6(9)
“The distribution licensee shall not generate more than two provisional bills for a consumer during one financial year” - MSEDCL Billing FAQs (2020-era page), meter status FAQ
“Average units are worked as an arithmetic average of past 3 months consumption based on actual meter reading.” - TNERC Tamil Nadu Electricity Supply Code (consolidated text), reg. 11(2)
“shall be determined by taking the average of the electricity supplied during the preceding four months.” - Office of the Accountant General (Audit) Uttarakhand, Inspection Report AIR No. 35 (Electricity Test Division, Almora, 2015-16), quoting the UERC Rate of Charges, Part IIB para 1
“Billing in Defective Meter (ADF/IDF) and Defective Reading (RDF) of general conditions of RTS”
Read on 17 October 2026. Your State regulator’s rules and your discom’s bill have the final word.