Post polls, power rate hike across board

Chandigarh

Consumers in the state will now have to shell out more for power, with the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission allowing the PSPCL to increase fixed charges by Rs 5-Rs 10 per kilowatt across all categories of consumers and energy charges by 8 paisa per unit.

This will lead to an average tariff hike of 2.14 per cent. The new tariff order will be effective from June 1, and the consumers will pay their bills according to the old tariff for April and May. Though the tariff is announced in April, it was delayed allegedly due to the elections.

Officials told The Tribune that the combined average cost of supply would be Rs 6.62 per KiloWatthour. For domestic consumers, the fixed charges have been increased by Rs 10 over the last year (these will vary between Rs 35 and Rs 80 per kilowatt), while the energy charges will vary between Rs 4.99 and Rs 7.41 per unit). Non residential consumers will have to pay fixed charges varying from Rs 45-Rs 110 (based on consumption), and energy charges between Rs 6.32 per kVAh and Rs 7.29 per KWH.

Industrial consumers can heave a sigh of relief as the time of day tariff had been extended, where some categories of industrial consumers will get a rebate of Rs 1.25 per kVAh at night during non-peak season (when agriculture power consumption is less) and will have to pay a surcharge of Rs 2 per kVAh between 6 pm and 10 pm during peak season.

The PSERC has also allowed the industry to work at 50 per cent of fixed charges and energy charges at Rs 4.45 per kVAh, if they operated their units exclusively between 10 pm and 6 am.

On an average, the power tariff of industrial consumers has been increased by 8 paisa per kVAh and fixed charges by Rs 5 per kVAh. However, since the state government subsidises power to industry by charging just Rs 5 per unit, the small industrial consumers will not have to pay more as the hike will be borne by the state government.

The PSERC has also given them a relief by doing away with the fuel cost adjustment of 12 paisa per unit, that industry had to pay, said Baldev Singh Sra, Chairman, PSPCL.

Consumers who take temporary power connections too will have to pay less, as the rates have been slashed. To promote clean energy usage, the electric vehicle charging stations will not have to pay any fixed charges and only energy charges of Rs 6 per kVAh during day and Rs 4.75 per kVAh at night time will be charged.

Shortfall in PSPCL revenue to blame, govt yet to clear subsidy bill

Gross revenue requirement of the PSPCL has been assessed at Rs 32,757 crore. A cumulative gap of Rs 497 crore between revenue receipts and expenditure has led to the hike in tariff.
Tariff levied to Golden Temple and Durgiana Mandir has been increased from Rs 5.94 to Rs 6.06 per kVAh.
The state is yet to pay balance subsidy of Rs 5,297.55 crore from the previous years. This year, total power subsidy amount is Rs 9,674 crore, including Rs 6,060.27 crore as subsidy to agriculture sector.
Total subsidy to be borne by state is Rs 14,972 crore (monthly subsidy to be paid by the state government in advance is Rs 1,268.57 crore).
The total power purchase next year is likely to be Rs 20,827 crore at a pooled cost of Rs 4.29 per unit.