The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) on Tuesday announced hike in power tariff for the year 2015-16 in the State with effect from April 1.The tariff for domestic category consumers has been raised by 20 paise per unit while that for the agriculture sector by 40 paise per unit. This is the first tariff hike for farmers' power consumption in 15 years.
"The principal reason for tariff hike is due to the pass through of Rs 740.72 croretowards past power purchase dues of the NTPC by the Gridco as per the CERC order dated May 15, 2014," OERC Secretary GK Dhal said in a statement.
The OERC maintained that the tariff hike in 2015-16 is also due to increase in the number of electricity consumers, inadequate generation of low-cost hydro power to meet the growing demands and the rise in the costs of coal and furnace oil.Compared to the 2014-15 fiscal, there has been a hike of 4.64 per cent in the average retail supply tariff, Dhal said, adding that the monthly minimum charges and meter charges remain unchanged.
The average tariff for domestic consumption of 50 units, 100 units, 200 units, 300 units, 400 units, 500 units and 600 units is Rs 2.50/ kwh, Rs 3.35/kwh, Rs 3.78/kwh, Rs 4.25/kwh, Rs 4.49/kwh and Rs 4.71/kwh and Rs 4.86/ kwh, respectively, which is around 49 per cent, 31 per cent, 23 per cent, 13 per cent, 8 per cent, 4 per cent and 1 per cent less than the average cost of supply of Rs 4.88 approved by the OERC.
A consumer is required to pay an average tariff of Rs 4.96 for the consumption of 700 units, which is 1.6 per cent higher than the average cost of supply, an OERC release said.