Sparing the consumers from power tariff hike shock ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls, UP Electricity Regulatory Commission has rejected the proposal of power companies to impose a regulatory surcharge by changing the slabs, implying that there will be no change in the electricity tariff this year.
The power companies had sought a hike of 10 per cent to 12 per cent in slab change and regulatory surcharge.
The new tariff order has cleared the way for rural farmers to install power meters for tube wells, but those running unmetered tube wells will have to pay Rs 170 per horsepower per month.
The UPERC has also clarified that expenditure on smart meters will not be passed on to the consumers.
UPERC Chairman RP Singh on Thursday issued orders on the slab change, including annual revenue requirement tariff proposal filed by the five UP power distribution companies -- Madhyanchal, Purvanchal, Dakshinanchal, Pashchimanchal and KESCo for the year 2021-22.
A full bench of UPERC comprising K Sharma and VK Srivastava and Chairman RP Singh, while giving the verdict said that this year there would be no change in the electricity rates and the current applicable tariff would continue.
In its order, the UPERC clearly said that meters may be installed on private tube wells of rural farmers but now the recovery of LMV 5 (unmetered tube wells) would be done at the rate of Rs 170 per horsepower per month.
The five power distribution companies of UP Power Corporation had shown a loss of Rs 9,663 crore in the annual revenue requirement filed for the year 2021-22. On the other hand, the UPERC approved Rs 71,963 crore for the companies against Rs 81,901 crore for annual revenue requirement for 2021-22. Distribution losses of 16.64 per cent sought by the power companies were rejected and only 11.08 per cent were approved.
In its order, the UPERC also ordered that all expenditure on smart meter would not be passed on to the consumers.
Meanwhile, the UP government and UP Power Corporation Limited opposed the proposal moved by UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad on reduction of power tariff, claiming that this year too, surplus on the power companies had turned out to be Rs 1,059 crore.
A Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad office-bearer said that it would move a petition before UP Electricity Regulatory Commission that the power companies owed Rs 20,559 crore to the consumers.
He said that after studying the new electricity rate order, the consumer council would again file a review petition before UP Electricity Regulatory Commission to reduce the electricity rates and would again put forth its demand for relief to the consumers.