Review power tariff hike: Delhi power minister tells regulator

Delhi's Power Minister Satyendra Jain on Monday asked the state electricity regulator DERC to review its decision to hike power tariff, saying the move was at variance with rules.

Last week, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) hiked power tariff -- effective from Monday -- due to the power purchase adjustment cost to discoms.

Jain said the Delhi government was also not kept in the loop about the move by the DERC.

"The said order is not in accordance with Section 62(4)of the Electricity Act, 2003, which allows amendment of tariff only once in a financial year except in respect of any changes expressly permitted under the terms of any fuel surcharge formula," Jain said in his letter to the DERC.

The minister said the DERC should not have hiked the tariff, knowing fully well that account books of power distribution companies were being checked by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Consumers of BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd. (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd. (BYPL), which control 70 percent of Delhi's total area, will now have to pay six percent more.

In areas where Tata Power (TPDDL) supplies electricity, the tariff has been hiked by 4 percent. In the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area, the charge has been increased by up to 5 percent.

Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party government has already said it does not agree with the "uncalled for" decision. The Arvind Kejriwal government has also hinted that it might challenge the decision in court.