Bangalore: The five electricity supply companies in the state (ESCOMS) will introduce `time-of-day' (TOD) billing from January 2006 to benefit certain categories of high-tension (HT) and low-tension (LT) power consumers. Power drawn between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. will become cheaper than that used during the peak hours of the day.

The move tops the agenda for ESCOMS set by Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. Managing Director Bharat Lal Meena, who is also Chairman of all the ESCOMS.

This is also a bid to reduce the different between peak and off-peak supply by installing TOD meters and a time-differentiated tariff for large consumers on a priority basis, KPTCL said in a press release. The tariff will apply to LT consumers (only those with new trivector meters) and HT industrial categories and for water supply. The TOD tariff is already in effect in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

The savings can be quite substantial for large power consumers.

Those in the LT category will be paying a tariff that is about 80 paise a unit lower during non-peak hours and those in the HT categories can save from 60 to 80 paise a unit.

The TOD basically refers to a tariff structure based on an increase or reduction in energy charges, depending on the time of use. As recommended by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), the TOD will be made optional for large consumers who wish to draw power at cheaper rates during off-peak hours.

If TOD billing is opted for, power drawn between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. will be cheaper, but power drawn between 9 a.m. and 12 noon and 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. will be costlier than the normal applicable rate.

The tariff structure will thus become very beneficial for large industries that work night shifts and can schedule their production to maximise electricity bill savings.

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