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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

APERC holds public hearing

Staff Reporter

Valid queries: A Karimnagar farmer L. Raja Reddy making a point at the APERC in Adilabad

ADILABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) held a public hearing ‘augmented requirement review’ (ARR) and tariffs filing by the AP Northern Power Distribution Company Limited (NPDCL) at Adilabad on Tuesday. The hearing was attended by Commission members R. Radha Kishen and Surinder Pal and Deputy Director Rama Rao besides NPDCL Chief Managing Director Anil Kumar.

Among those who presented their objections and suggestions on the proposals presented by Discom were Human Rights Forum (HRF) secretary K. Balagopal and some farmers. The former saw no reason why a public hearing should be held by the APERC when it was not empowered to either take a decision on change in tariff through this exercise.

Mr. Balagopal questioned the contention of NPDCL and A P Genco that jump in power consumption was because of increased use of electricity by the farming sector.

He said this contention does not hold water because the authorities did not have related figures based on scientific studies. He demanded return of the ARR in the light of his objections.

Mr. L. Raja Reddy, a farmer from Karimnagar pointed out that the NPDCL was able to bill only to the extent of 40 per cent of the consumption while 60 per cent was treated as transmission losses. The NPDCL report showed a Rs. 870 crore deficit for the Northern Discom that could be negated by a hike in power tariff.

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