Power gets costlier in Ahmedabad, Surat, Gandhinagar

GERC approves increase of Rs 0.44 per unit of power for Torrent Power

Electricity bills of consumers in Ahmedabad, Surat and Gandhinagar will go up this year with the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) approving hike of Rs 0.44 per unit for Torrent Power Ltd (TPL) which provides power to these three cities.

While the consumers where electricity is supplied by state run Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd and its subsidiaries, the tariff will remain unchanged for 2014-15.

According to a statement issued by the GERC, for all residential and industrial consumers of TPL in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Surat, there has been increase of Rs 0.44 per unit with effect from May 1. However, there has been no increase in power tariff for BPL (below poverty line) consumer, agriculture consumers and residential consumers using electricity up to 50 units per month.

It further said that the overall increase for all the categories of consumers was Rs 0.44 per unit that includes increase in fixed/demand charge and energy charges that is to the tune of 7.5 per cent. Demand charge for temporary usage of electricity at HT (high tension) voltage level rationalised in terms of Rs/kW/Day in place of Rs./kW/month basis, it added.

It is estimated that with this increase in charges the additional revenue to the TPL will be Rs 449.20 crore.

Meanwhile, there has been no increase in power tariff by the state-run Discom Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd and its subsidiaries.

The discoms have also reduced demand charge for night time usage of electricity at HT voltage level and rationalised demand charge for temporary usage of electricity at HT voltage level in terms of Rs/kW/Day in place of Rs/kW/month basis.