Domestic power gets costly in Punjab, relief for industry

CHANDIGARH: Domestic consumers in Punjab will have to pay more for the electricity they consume from the present bill cycle as the state government has revised the charges by 10 to 14 paise per unit (2.17 pc) even as the industry has been extended significant incentives.

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19

Domestic consumers in Punjab will have to pay more for the electricity they consume from the present bill cycle as the state government has revised the charges by 10 to 14 paise per unit (2.17 pc) even as the industry has been extended significant incentives.

In its tariff order for 2018-19 announced on Thursday, the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) has effected the hike from April 1 and the new charges would be between Rs 4.91 and Rs 7.33 per unit. The fixed tariff, too, has been raised to Rs 25-40 per kilowatt — a hike of Rs 5 to Rs 10 (2 pc) per kilowatt.

Industrial consumers, on the other hand, have been extended substantial incentives, in an apparent bid to woo industry to the state.

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has estimated that they would have 20,417 million units of surplus power during the current fiscal, which would be provided to large and medium industrial consumers through a new ‘special night tariff’. If the industrial units operate between 10 pm and 6 am, they will get a 50 per cent rebate on fixed charges and will be charged a standard tariff of Rs 4.28 per unit.

The units consuming more than their threshold limit of maximum annual consumption, too, will be billed at Rs 4.28 per kVAh. The ‘time of day’ rebate of Rs 1.25 per kVAh will also continue at night.

In another decision, call centres have been included under the category of IT industry and hence will get tariff rebate. Maize-drying and food-processing units now would not have to pay fixed tariff during off-season, though they will pay variable charges.

The power-intensive industry and arc furnaces will get a relief of Rs 5-Rs 45 per kVAh in fixed charges, though the variable tariff has been increased by 11 to 12 paise per unit. Besides, the government would be paying a subsidy of Rs 1,440 crore on account of allowing the industry to pay Rs 5 per unit as tariff. “This is a very industry-friendly tariff and we appreciate the move,” said RS Sachdeva, PHD Chamber chairman.

While the hike for non-residential consumers is between 2 and 12 paise per unit, the fixed charges have been hiked by Rs 10-40 for large consumers (using above 20 KW load) and lowered by Rs 10-20 for small non-residential consumers (those using less than 20 KW).

Kusumjit Sidhu, PSERC chairperson, said because of a revenue gap of Rs 668.91 crore, they had recommended an increase in the existing tariff by 2.17 per cent and a marginal 2 per cent hike in fixed charges. “The combined average cost of supply for 2018-19 works out to be 655.49 paise per kilowatt hour, and the cross subsidy levels for all categories of consumers have been kept within 20 per cent, as mandated in the power policy,” she said.

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