Shimla, October 29
A hike of 15 per cent in power tariff in Himachal Pradesh was ordered today by the state Electricity Regulatory Commission to fetch an additional annual revenue of Rs 77.71 crore for the HPSEB.

Besides the 15 per cent hike, consumers will also have to pay a winter surcharge of 25 paise per unit from November to March. The winter surcharge for big industries and other large consumers will be 20 paise per unit.

This is the third hike in power tariff during the three and half years’ rule of the BJP-HVC combine government. The order regarding the hike was read by the Chairman of the commission, Mr S.S. Gupta, in the presence of senior officers of the HPSEB and mediapersons.

The hiked tariff will come into force with effect from November 1.

The commission has ordered the HPSEB to implement power sector reforms, financial restructuring and increase metering, billing and collection efficiency.

While domestic consumers will have to pay a substantial extra tariff, particularly during the winter, various steps have been taken to provide relief to the industry. The monthly minimum charges for all categories have been abolished.

Those consuming more than 300 units per month in the domestic sector will have to pay Rs 2.40 per unit against the existing tariff of Rs 2.25. But the tariff would be Rs 2.65 after adding to it the 25 per cent winter surcharge.

The new tariff for consumption between 151 to 300 units is Rs 2.40 per unit against the existing Rs 1.50. Those consuming 46 to 150 units a month will be levied tariff at the rate of Rs 1.30 per unit against the existing Rs 1.05.

Consumers of 45 units per month have also not been spared as the tariff for them has been hiked by 15 paise per unit from the existing 70 to 85 paise per unit.

However, the energy charges for “antyodaya” families will be 70 paise per unit for the first 45 units.

Mr Gupta said the HPSEB in its petition had sought an increase of 30 per cent in power tariff.

He said the commission had approved an annual revenue requirement of Rs 775.34 crore against the projected requirement of Rs 940.10 crore. The total revenue gap at the existing tariff has been determined at Rs 76.66 crore. While no direct subsidy is being made available by the state government, an indirect subsidy of the order of Rs 188 crore is being provided through no royalty for hydroelectric projects under the control of the HPSEB.

While ordering a number of changes in the tariff structure, a two-part structure has been introduced to increase efficiency. For all consumers, except domestic, concessional night-time tariff, effective between midnight and 6 a.m. has been introduced under which a rebate of 20 paise per unit will be given to small, medium and large industrial units and water pumping schemes.

The commission has ordered that the tariff for commercial establishments in the three categories consuming 1 to 200 units per month, 201 to 500 units and above 500 units shall be charged the tariff at a uniform rate of Rs 3 per unit. The first two categories were being charged Rs 2.50 and Rs 2.75 per unit.

The non-domestic and non-commercial consumers, consisting of educational institutions, hospitals and other such orginisations, will now be charged tariff at the rate of Rs 2.50 per unit along with a consumer service charge of Rs 25 per month.

For the small industries, the tariff has been increased to Rs 2.35 per unit along with a service charge of Rs 25 per month from the existing tariff of Rs 2 per unit.

The medium industries consuming 11 kv electricity will continue to pay Rs 2.25 along with a monthly service charge of Rs 25.

The energy charges for large industries have been reduced to Rs 1.90 per kv ah against the existing two slabs of tariff of Rs 2.70 and Rs 2.50. They will have also to pay a consumer service charge of Rs 100 per month.

The tariff for water and irrigation pumping has been increased to Rs 2.35 and Rs 2.25 against the existing slabs of Rs 2.20 and Rs 2. The tariff for agriculture pumping remains unchanged at 50 paise per unit, but a consumer service charge of Rs 20 per month has now been added.

The charges for bulk supply of less than 11 kv and above 11 kv have been reduced to Rs 2.95 and Rs 2.85 per unit against the existing rate of Rs 3.05 and Rs 2.85, respectively. Consumers of these categories will have to pay a monthly service charge of Rs 25. Streetlighting will be charged at Rs 2.35 per unit against Rs 2 per unit.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal has put the entire blame for the power hike on previous Congress governments, whom he has accused of having failed to secure the state’s share in various Central power projects.