The Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (UERC) has approved new power tariffs for domestic, commercial and other consumers. To recover this revenue gap of Rs179.25 crore, an annual tariff hike of 4.78 per cent was required but since the revised tariff will be applicable from May 1, the hike required to cover the gap in 11 months works out to 5.21 per cent.
Additionally, based on the approved Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) of Rs3,932.60 crore and projected sales of 9395.12 MU for FY 2013-14, the average cost of supply of the UPCl works out to Rs4.19/kWh. The UERC has restricted the tariff hike to around 5 per cent as against the demand of about 50 per cent by UPCl.
Earlier, Jag Mohan lal, chairman, UERC, said that UPCl officials were instructed to improve basic amenities at billing collection centres and to curtail line loss incidents in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand. After expressing concern that Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, and Nainital districts are worst affected in terms of power theft, the commission also called for action against unauthorised electricity consumers. He said that industrial consumers who are availing continuous supply shall continue to remain
continuous supply consumers and need not apply again for continuous supply option while the consumers having prepaid metering shall be eligible for a rebate of 4 per cent (Domestic) and 3 per cent (for other lT Consumers) on energy charges as earlier.
He informed that UPCl officials were also asked to table the plans for improvement of its collection system and recovery of arrears. Commenting on the hike, lal said that this is nominal and done only after rounds of meetings with consumers in Garhwal and Kumaon divisions. Additionally, UPCl will also submit report on classifying and writing off bad debts and conducting energy audit. The commission has allowed marginal increase of Re one per connection per month in fixed charges for lifetime consumers and consumers in snowbound areas with no change in energy charges for these consumers. However, fixed charges for single phase domestic consumers and III phase domestic consumers have been increased by Rs 5 per connection per month and Rs 10 per connection per month respectively and the tariffs of unmetered category in rural hilly areas increased by Rs 10 per connection per month and for other areas by Rs 25 per connection per month.
To provide benefit to small shops keepers and other such marginal commercial consumers under Non-Domestic Category, a new sub-category has been introduced with tariff for this sub-category fixed at lower than Other Non Domestic Consumers. This new category is for Non-Domestic consumers having contracted load upto 4kW and consuming upto 50 units per month.