Haryana: HERC hears pleas of power discoms

Chandigarh, February 8

The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) today heard petitions regarding Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) for the upcoming financial year 2024-25 by Haryana’s power distribution companies – the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN).

Officials of the UHBVN and the DHBVN presented their side before HERC Chairman Nand Lal Sharma, and HERC members Naresh Sardana and Mukesh Garg. Managing Director of the UHBVN Saket Kumar appeared on behalf the DHBVN.

Every year in November, the discoms have to file their complete account details of the previous year and the proposed financial requirement for the upcoming financial year before the HERC in the form of a petition regarding the tariff rates for the new financial year. On these petitions, the HERC records the objections/suggestions of the public and the discoms and thereafter detailed ARR is issued by the commission before the new financial year.

In 2023-24, the UHBVN and the DHBVN have shown that they required Rs 42,412 crore for the entire year and both discoms received a revenue of Rs 40,069 crore . For 2024-25, these discoms have demanded Rs 41,410 crore and have shown that revenue of Rs 39,781 crore will be received. The subsidy received from the government is pegged at Rs 5,769 crore.

During the public hearing, Sharma observed that it was necessary for the discoms to conduct technical audit of their infrastructure from time to time so that the shortcomings could be removed and an excellent infrastructure and uninterrupted power supply could be provided to the electricity consumers.

Saket Kumar replied that power purchase cost would be reduced and aggregate and transmission commercial (AT&C) losses will also be reduced.