The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Power tariff for Bhagya Jyoti, Kutir Jyoti reduced

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 17, 2006
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Power tariff for Bhagya Jyoti, Kutir Jyoti reduced

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Along with good news for the consumers came bad news for the five electricity supply companies (ESCOMs). In its order, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) said that power purchase for unauthorised consumption, excessive loss, wastage, theft etc. cannot be passed on to the consumers.

K.P. Pandey, Chairman of KERC, announced the decision to have no increase in power tariff in the State here on Monday.

Pending appeal in the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (ATE), New Delhi, the KERC has not allowed Tanirbavi's fixed charges amounting to Rs. 105 crore in the present proceedings. The present order would be subject to the final order of ATE with regard to the pending appeal in the Tanirbavi case.

KERC has also not allowed Rs. 220 crore against employee arrears of pay from 2003-04 to 2005-06, which was included in the present filing. As in the past, KERC has not allowed cost of bonus and free/concessional electricity to employees.

On the appeal filed by the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL) against tariff order of April 7, 2006, on KPTCL's Expected Revenue Charge (ERC), KERC has not allowed interest of about Rs. 200 crore, for all ESCOMs put together, on new loans for capital works.

Mr. Pandey said that KERC had continued the different tariffs for urban and rural areas considering the fact that quality of power supply was not the same in the two areas. With regard to introduction of company-wise different tariff, KERC decided not to introduce the same in the order in view of mixed response from stakeholders.

Reductions

The tariff for Bhagya Jyoti and Kutira Jyoti have been reduced by 35 paise per unit, which will be met by the Government. For domestic consumers in village panchayat areas, the energy charge has been reduced by 20 paise per unit. Energy charge has been reduced by 10 paise per unit for educational institutions in village panchayat areas.

For consumers under LT commercial category in urban areas (other than Bangalore Metropolitan area), the charge has been reduced by 10 paise per unit and for those in village panchayat areas by 20 paise per unit.

To encourage location of industries outside Bangalore, for consumers under HT industrial category HT2(a) (other than Bangalore Metropolitan area), including rural areas, the charge has been reduced by 15 paise per unit.

The penalty that used to be levied for use of power by industry during morning peak (between 9 a.m. and noon) under Time of Day (TOC) tariff has been removed. For use of solar heaters, KERC has increased rebate from the existing 40 paise to 50 paise per unit subject to a ceiling of Rs. 50 per month.

For high voltage consumers, high voltage rebate has been enhanced.

To grant relief mainly to rice mills, off-season facility has been enhanced from the existing three months to six months. The facility would be applicable to all seasonal industries.

H.S. Subramanya and S.D. Ukkali of KERC and the managing directors of the five ESCOMs were present.

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