New slab system to provide relief to power consumers

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, October 16

With the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) announcing a new slab system for power tariff, there is some relief in sight for domestic power consumers. However, the industrial and commercial power consumers would not get any such benefit.

According to the new system, the earlier five slabs have been modified to seven. Instead of Rs 5 per unit for consumers consuming 0-250 units, Rs 4.50 per unit would be charged for the consumption of 0-150 units. For 151-250 units, Rs 5 per unit would be charged. However, Rs 6.05 per unit would continue to charged for the consumption of 251-500 units.

Now, Rs 6.75 per unit would be charged from 501-800 units. Earlier, Rs 6.75 per unit was being charged 500 units onwards. There would not be any change in the tariff charged from consumers consuming up to 100 units. They would continue to the charged Rs 2.70 per unit for 0-50 units and Rs 4.50 per unit for 51-100 units.

Meanwhile, CM Manohar Lal Khattar said the power consumers could pay the arrears of bills in five instalments without any charges. He asked the power distribution companies to ensure that the consumers, who had paid the bills issued as per the existing tariff be issued revised bills as per the new tariff and the refunds be adjusted in their subsequent bills. The consumers, who are yet to pay the bills issued as per the existing tariff, would also get the revised bill as per the new tariff.

Welcoming HERC decision, Khattar said this would bring relief in the electricity bills of domestic consumers’ up to 16.43 per cent. A consumer having consumption between 101 to 500 units per month would now get a benefit of 50 paise per unit for initial 150 units consumption, he added.