In yet another jolt to power consumers, Punjab power regulator on Thursday announced a hike of the electricity tariff by 2.17 per cent for all categories of consumers — second hike after the Congress Government took over in March 2017.
Under the new tariff order, released on Thursday, the power rates for the domestic consumers has been increased from 12 paise to 14 paise per unit, while for the non-industrial and commercial consumers, the tariff has been increased by two paise to five paise.
Justifying the hike, the PSERC chairperson Kusumjit Sidhu said that the State power utility, Punjab State Power Corporation limited (PSPCl), has quoted the deficit up to and including the financial year of 2018-19 at Rs 668.91 crore against the proposal of Rs 32,486.63 crore, and to cover this gap, “the existing tariff needs to be increased by 2.17 per cent”.
Previous year, the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) had announced a hike of whopping 9.33 per cent in October 2017, and was imposed from a retrospective effect from April 1. PSPCl’s consolidated gap was worked out at Rs 2,522.62 crore the previous year against the proposal of Rs 11,575.53 crore.
To promote State’s industrial sector, the regulator had announced a special tariff for low and medium supply industry consumers.
“Some initiatives, like introducing special night tariff for low supply and medium industries, have been taken up mainly to reduce the burden of fixed cost of 20417 MU (million units) of surplus power, estimated to be surrendered by PSPCl during the year, and also to encourage the industry to use the surplus power,” said Sidhu.
The tariff order stated that any consumption, exceeding the threshold limit of maximum annual consumption in any of the last two financial years, shall be billed at reduced energy charges of Rs 4.28 per kVAh. Besides, the industrial consumers, who opt to use electricity exclusively during night hours of 10 pm to 6 am, they will be provided energy at the rate of 50 per cent of fixed charges and reduced energy charges of Rs 4.28 per kVAh the next day.
Besides, the regulator has decided to continue the ‘Time of Day’ rebate of Rs 1.25 per kVAh at night. The regulator has also decided to charge fixed charges on 25 per cent of sanctioned load or contract demand from the non-residential (NRS) consumers running marriage palaces “to encourage them to shift their load to PSPCl’s system instead of the DG (diesel generator) sets”.
PSERC announced to reduce the rates for temporary supply to 1.3 times the rate applicable to the corresponding permanent supply category consumers as against the earlier 1.5. “Further, fixed charges from temporary supply consumers will be charged on per day basis instead of monthly basis to encourage the prospective consumers to come forward for availing temporary supply from the distribution licensee instead of hiring DG sets even if they require power supply for a day or two,” read the order.
In a novel move towards securing environment, the Commission has decided to encourage the use of electric vehicle by specifying energy charges for ‘EV Charging Stations’ at the rate of Rs 5 per kVAh without any fixed charges.
“This will not only benefit the environment but will also utilize surplus power available,” added the order.
It was also clarified that the electronic vehicles by individual consumers for their own use shall continue to be allowed under the relevant schedule of tariff applicable to the individual consumers.