Power tariff is likely to go up in Punjab with the state power regulator — Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) — all set to announce the power tariff order for 2015-16 on Tuesday. The new tariff rates will be effective from April 2015.
Even as the PSERC refused to divulge quantum of hike in power tariff, official sources said that the percentage hike may not be “substantial”, given the previous year's hike of just 2.74 per cent. “The electricity tariff order for 2015-16 will be announced on May 5,” said a PSERC official adding that the view of all the stakeholders, including industry, while determining the new tariff had already been taken.
During the Budget session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha in March, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal had said that he was expecting new tariff order to be a “balanced” one which would take into account the interests of consumers.
Opposition party, the Congress, had accused the SAD-BJP led state government of failing to provide cheap power to people despite new power plants coming up in the state. PSERC, in 2014, had announced a minimal hike of 2.74 per cent in power tariff across all consumer categories in Punjab, which was the second lowest increase since 2007-08, by “heavily” slashing power utility's losses.
In its Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) petition submitted with PSERC for 2015-16 fiscal, the state power utility — Punjab State Power Corporation limited (PSPCl) — had projected total revenue gap of Rs 11,317.78 crore up, seeking “appropriate increase” in power tariff from the power regulator to cover the proposed gap. PSPCl had projected net revenue requirement and revenue generation of Rs 27,683.96 crore and Rs 24,414.81 crore, leading to annual revenue gap of Rs 3,269.26 crore for 2015-16.
Notably, PSPCl had proposed consolidated revenue gap of Rs 15,550.64 crore which was brought down by PSERC to a mere Rs 593.63 crore up to the financial year 2014-15. Powercom has also sought recovery of Rs 391 crore from customers, which was paid for the coal extraction from Pachhwara Coal block Jharkhand after Supreme Court ordered cancellation of coal blocks last year.
The power subsidy bill on account of free power to farmers and SC and non-SC BPl domestic consumers has been projected at Rs 6,130 crore for 2015-16, up by five per cent from subsidy of financial year 2014-15. Notably, Punjab government bears the entire financial burden on account of free power supply to farmers, a major vote bank for the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal.
In addition to that, free power supply of up to 200 units per month with connected load of 1,000 watt is also given to non-SC BPl and SC families in the state. The state's industry has been opposing any hike in power tariff, saying that power rates in Punjab are already quite high as compared to other states.