To a discerning mind, it may sound strange but, Punjab power regulator has actually indicated that it wants to encourage the consumers to use more power during the winter months.
The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission has declared that the “more you use, the less you pay”. The measure is based on the assumption that “Punjab state Power Corporation limited (PSPCl) is likely to be a power surplus state during winter months”.
PSERC has asserted, “In order to encourage the consumers of the state to consume more power, the Commission has introduced rebate of Rs1 per kWh on the category-wise tariff for all categories...on the consumption exceeding threshold limit”.For the purpose of calculating the threshold limit, the average of previous three years will be taken into consideration.
Besides, the State power regulator has also come out with more electrifying “consumer friendly” decisions in its tariff order for the year 2014-15 announced on Friday.Other than offering rebate to consumers for encouraging them to use more power, it has also extended the off-peak hour rebate to the medium supply industrial category. The benefit was initially limited to the large supply industrial category only.
The Commission has also introduced kVAh tariff regime for redressing the harassment of consumers due to power factor disputes. It has claimed that the new regime will motivate consumers to have higher power factor for cutting down on technical losses.The development is significant as the Commission has looked beyond the industrial sector for benefitting the domestic consumers.
The Commission has also announced the abolition of service charges. Though the service charges on monthly basis were nominal, the PSERC has still decided to do away with.The measures come at a time when the Government has been blamed for its inability to meet the power demand of consumer and for high electricity charges.
PSERC made it clear that it would continue with its efforts to reduce power cuts during day time by shifting the industrial load to off-peak hours, that is between 10 pm to 6 am.“The Time of Day (ToD) tariff was introduced during previous year only for large supply industrial sector. Almost all, nearly 5,500 units, opt for the same. This year, we are extending this benefit to the medium supply industrial consumers,” said PSERC chairperson Romila Dubey adding that it would flatten the load curve in the state.
“We have kept it optional for the categories...it would be subject to the arrangement of metres vy the consumers who opt for it,” she added.
Dubey said that rebate for large supply industrial category during off-peak hours have been increased from Rs1 to Rs1.50 and for medium category, Rs1 per kVAh rebate has been introduced with no additional charges during peak load hours.
Rebate to the various categories of consumers catered at higher voltages has been increased by five paise per kVAh. The system of contract demand system for medium supply industrial category consumers will also be introduced from the next year, January 1, 2015, aimed at facilitating the consumers to install the load “as per their requirement without any upper limit of 100kW so long the consumers remain within the sanctioned contract demand”.
In addition, the seasonal industries have been given the option to run as general industry by giving notice a month in advance; the late payment surcharge has been rationalized which would be a big relief for all the categories; allowing separate connection in the industrial premises; and simplifying various conditions for getting connection under AP high-tech category.
Consumer Friendly Steps
Introduction of kVAh tariff
ToD tariff extended to medium category
Rs0.50 rebate increased under ToD tariff for large scale industrial category
Increase in rebate to consumers catered at higher voltages
Contract demand system to be introduced for medium category
Rebate for consumers to use more power
Abolition of Service charges
Seasonal industries given option to run as general industry by giving month’s advance notice
late payment surcharge rationalised
‘Separate connection in industrial premises allowed
Simplification of conditions for getting connection under AP high-tech category