Even as the AAP Government in Delhi was planning 50% slash in the power tariff, the electricity consumers in Andhra Pradesh were trembling on the prospects of yet another major shock
The electricity bill of 2.5 crore consumers in the State will go up drastically as the State Electricity Regulatory Commission has responded positively to the proposal of the distribution Companies to resume collecting Fuel Surcharge Adjustment( FSA) from the consumers.
The consumers were exempted from FSA this year by the State Government but facing acute financial crisis, the distribution companies (Discoms) have knocked on the doors of the commission for a backdoor hike in the tariff.
Under the new proposal, the Discoms want to collect the cost of power purchased from outside the State. This will be in addition to the regular power tariff. If it is okayed, consumers will have to pay `2,000 crore additionally as the discoms have estimated this to be the cost of power purchase during the current financial year.
The additional burden will not be called FSA anymore but put a hefty burden on the consumers. The power users will have to pay this additional burden every month, especially during the summer months when the power generation dips alarmingly in the State and the discoms heavily depend on the purchase of power from other State and private power generation companies.
The commission has sought suggestion from the public on this proposal from January 15 and the Opposition parties have already indicated their strong opposition to such a move. Andhra Pradesh is already having the distinction of the most expensive State in terms of power tariff both for the domestic and industrial consumers. An average urban middle class family is paying a monthly electricity bill of `2500 per month.