Andhra Pradesh   

No change in A.P. power tariff for sixth year

Special Correspondent

APERC issues new tariff order for the fiscal year

HYDERABAD: There will not be any change in power tariff in Andhra Pradesh for any category of consumers for the sixth consecutive year for the 2007-08 fiscal beginning April 1.

The tariff for railway traction, however, has been reduced by 10 paise a unit (Rs. 4.20 to Rs 4.10) to encourage the railways that consumes 1,363 million units (mu) annually to lay new lines in the State.

The Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) here on Thursday issued a tariff order for the fiscal responding to revenue requirement reports filed by the four distribution companies, providing for continuance of free power to agriculture pump sets except in case of corporate farmers and income-tax assessees as of now. The free power beneficiaries need to pay only `consumption charges' (Rs. 20 a month) which is collected from all other categories of consumers as well.

Releasing the order at a press conference here, APERC Secretary S. Suryaprakasa Rao said March 31, 2008, would be the deadline for free power beneficiaries to fix the other two demand-side management devices — ISI-marked pumps and plastic pipes or forgo the benefit.

The ERC restricted the subsidy to be extended by the Government against free power to Rs. 1,047 crore (Rs. 1,357 crore last year), asking the companies to fill the revenue gap by improving internal efficiency and sales.

Mr. Rao said they were still examining whether to pass onto the consumers the benefit of Rs. 325 crore earned by power utilities as a windfall gain following increased hydel generation.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

No change in A.P. power tariff for sixth year
Centre nod for FDI in tobacco sector
Social commitment
Correction
Briefly

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu