Power utilities hike FSA by 17 paise, seek 15% tariff jump

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, December 8

Pegging the estimated cumulative revenue gap at Rs5,809.47 crore, the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has sought at least 15 per cent hike in power tariff.

Sources said in its petition for annual performance review for 2014-15 and revised annual revenue requirement (ARR) for 2015-16 filed with power regulator Haryana Electricity Regulatory Authority(HERC), the DHBVN had proposed 15 per cent increase in power tariff for all categories.

The DHBVN undertakes power distribution in southern Haryana districts, including Bhiwani, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Hisar, Narnaul, Mahendragarh, Palwal, Rewari, Sirsa and Jind. The power utility has estimated a gap of Rs2,852.71 crore for financial year 2013-14, Rs1,302.77 crore for FY15 and Rs1,653.99 crore for FY16, as per petition.

Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) has also proposed 15 per cent hike in power tariff across all categories to recover the cumulative revenue gap of Rs3,898.72 crore in its petition filed with HERC. 

Hisar: In a jolt to the state’s consumers, power utilities have levied fuel surcharge arrears (FSA) of 17 paise a unit on users. 

Consumers would get bills with arrears adjusted in it with effect from November 1. The DHBVN today issued a circular to this effect signed by Chief Engineer (Commercial) on December 1. The UHBVN has already taken such a decision and it will be implemented simultaneously. 

The circular stated that fuel surcharge arrears of 17 paise per unit had been approved for the second quarter of financial year 2014-15. It will be levied on bills issued from November 1 across all categories of consumers. Agricultural consumers have been left out of the hike. 

A DHBVN spokesperson defended the levy of the FSA. He said it was in continuity of the surcharge being adjusted on completion of three months and was not a hike.