No power tariff hike this year

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 15

Providing a major relief to city residents, the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has rejected the power tariff hike proposal submitted by the Chandigarh Electricity Department for 2015-16.

The department had proposed a hike of 10 to 15 per cent in the power tariff in both categories — domestic and commercial. The department had submitted before the JERC that to make up for the loss of Rs 186.36 crore (Rs 142.23 crore in 2014-15 and Rs 44.13 crore projected for 2015-16), a hike in the power tariff was a must.

While rejecting the power tariff hike petition, JERC Chairman SK Chaturvedi said despite directions issued by the JERC, the department was yet to submit the statement of audited accounts based on commercial accounting principles mentioned in the JERC tariff regulations of 2009. Therefore, the commission had rejected the power tariff hike proposal.

The existing tariff plan would now continue till March 31, 2016.

Apart from the power tariff, the domestic consumers will only have to pay Rs 7 per kW/per month. In the commercial category, consumers have to pay Rs 10 per kW/per month in the category of 0-150 kWh and Rs 70 per kW/per month in the categories of 150-400 kWh and above 400 kWh.

The JERC has now set September 30 as the deadline for the department to comply with the directions issued by the commission. The directions include audited accounts, preparation of assets and depreciation register, proper implementation of the management information system, replacement of 40,386 non-functional and defective meters, energy audit and interest on security deposit.

Welcoming the move, Charanjiv Singh, president of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, said the JERC had rightly rejected the petition as the proposal was unjustified. Echoing similar views, Raj Kumar Pal, president of the Property Consultants Association, Chandigarh, said it would bring relief to 2 lakh consumers in the city, including 1.75 lakh consumers in domestic slabs.

According to the existing tariff plan in the domestic category, consumers in the 0-150 unit category pay Rs 2.30 per unit. In the petition, the Administration had proposed Rs 2.60.

In the 150-400 unit category, the Administration had proposed Rs 4.70 per unit against the existing rate of Rs 4.20 per unit. In the above 400 unit category, the Administration had proposed Rs 5.10 per unit against the existing tariff of Rs 4.40 per unit.

In the commercial category, the Administration had proposed Rs 4.80 against the present tariff of Rs 4.30 per unit in the 0-150 unit category, Rs 5 against the present rate of Rs 4.50 per unit in the 150-400 unit category and Rs 5.50 against the existing rate of Rs 4.70 in the slab of above 400 units.