Power tariff hiked in Odisha

Marginal 10 paise hike per unit; Discoms to pay 2% less for power purchase

The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has announced a balanced power tariff for 2013-14 after consulting all stakeholders.

While the average power tariff for all consumers has been raised by 2.4 per cent for next year, compared with 11.8 per cent rise seen in the current fiscal, the regulator tried to placate the ailing power distributing companies (discoms) by allowing them to pay 2 per cent less for power purchase bills.

As per the new tariff order, domestic users drawing up to 50 units will have to pay Rs 2.30 per unit from April 2013 against Rs 2.20 per unit charged now. Consumption from 50 to 200 units will cost Rs 4.00 per unit, up from Rs 3.90. Electricity rates for consumption between 200 to 400 and beyond 400 units have been raised by 10 paise to Rs 5.00 and Rs 5.40 per unit respectively.

The average per unit power tariff for retail consumers has been revised to Rs 4.57, up from Rs 4.51 for 2012-13. About 5 per cent rise in debt servicing of Gridco and 7.3 per cent rise towards salary and other expenses of discoms were factored into the price hike.

“The rise in electricity tariff approved by the Commission is very nominal. The commission is of the considered view that the consumers of Odisha can bear the slight rise in electricity tariff,” the regulator said in a statement.

Fall in supply cost from power producers to Gridco and from Gridco to discoms and reduction in of state load dispatch center charges contained the average tariff hike below 2.5 per cent, it added. For the first time, the Commission introduced reconnection charges for defaulting customers.

OERC did not make any changes in the tariff for irrigation, agriculture and allied agriculture sectors, now ruling at Rs 1.10 and Rs 1.20 per unit. But it hiked the rate for agro-industrial sector. The rates were revised by 20 paise per unit to Rs 4.00.

For industrial consumers, the commission has made certain relaxation in tariff structures. Earlier, High Tension (HT) and Extra High Tension (EHT) were paying charges as per three slabs- drawal upto 50 per cent, between 50 to 60 per cent and above 60 per cent of contracted amount.  

Earlier they used to pay Rs 4.95 and Rs 4.90 per unit for drawing upto 50 per cent power, Rs 4.50 and Rs 4.45 for drawal between 50 to 60 per cent and Rs 3.95 and Rs 3.90 per unit for consumption above 70 per cent of load. The commission has also done away with “Take or Pay” provisions, under which industrial consumers had to pay a fixed charges irrespective of power consumption and used to get rebate for higher usage.