Domestic consumers to shell out more for power

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 25

Domestic consumers will have to shell out 15 to 20 paise more for a unit of power in 2016-17. But there will be no increase in tariff for industrial consumers and those using 0-60 units per month.

Projecting an additional revenue requirement of Rs 1556.70 crore for 2016-17, the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission today (HPSERC) proposed about 33 per cent increase in power tariff. It ordered an overall increase of about 3.5 per cent for domestic and other consumers. “But for the sagging industrial consumers, there will be no increase to ramp up the growth,” the commission stated.

Hearing stakeholders’ petitions, including HP State Electricity Board Ltd, the commission accepted the requirement of Rs 154.48 crore and ordered the 33 per cent increase in tariff to meet the target. It also ordered that the domestic supply be cross-subsidised by certain other categories, because domestic tariff is about 88 per cent of the average cost of the electricity supply.

The average consumption per consumer per month for the domestic category is expected to be around 90 units and the average increase in energy charges for domestic consumers will be about Rs 18 per month. The commission has increased the monthly consumer service charges by Rs 10 for the domestic consumers in the slab of 0-125 units, Rs 20 for small industries and irrigation and water pumping, Rs 30 for non-domestic, non-commercial (NDNC), commercial and streetlight consumers. The HPSEBL is moving towards stable tariff as per estimates. But the increase of Rs 154.48 crore became evident due to the fact that Rs 132.99 crore which was adjusted in the tariff by the HPERC in 2015-16 was not released by the government. The commission has also advised the HPSEBL to optimise its operational efficiency to provide better services to the consumers to ensure 24x7 reliable and quality power supply.

It ordered that small hydro-generation units would pay wheeling charges at the rate fixed for EHT voltage.

“For environment protection, all electricity generated in the state based on waste, including municipal waste, by any person or organisation shall be purchased by the HPSEBL on the rates determined by commission, the HPSERC stated.