A month after TOI reported allegations about conflict of interest in the hiring of a consultancy company by DERC, the regulatory body has invited tenders for a new consultant to review the tariff petitions of the three city discoms.

The NGO had alleged that the three private discoms — BRPL, BYPL and Tata Power — were clients of the consultancy firm hired by DERC. The company, ABPS Infrastructure Advisory, was hired by the commission early in January to look into the tariff claims of the seven entities whose annual petitions are reviewed by DERC. It will now restrict itself to NDMC, a government-run discom, two generating companies and the transmitting company. The tender notice for the company was issued on Wednesday.

"This is only a cautionary measure. The expert committee did not find any conflict of interest in its inquiry report," said a senior DERC official.