APERC spares domestic consumers from power tariff hike

Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission has spared domestic consumers from power tariff hike, but has approved a 2 per cent hike in energy charges for non-domestic consumers for year 2016-17, a top official said today.
"There is no general increase in tariff for domestic consumers. Energy charges hike for non-domestic consumers has been accepted and is restricted to 2 percent against 4 percent proposed (by power distribution companies)," APERC Chairman Justice G Bhavani Prasad told reporters here.
Tariff increase is limited to Rs 216 crore as against Rs 783 crore (that was proposed by the power distribution companies in their Annual Revenue Requirement proposals for the year 2016-17), touching all the consumer categories. (It is only 0.81 per cent of ARR as against 2.75 per cent proposed by power distribution companies which is insignificant when compared to rate of inflation, he said.

"96.6 per cent consumers are either benefited or untouched," Prasad added.
The average consumption limits of two categories of domestic consumers have been liberally expanded, he said adding the limits for LT-I Domestic grouping have been revised upwards by 300 units/year for tariff classification that will keep approximately 21.58 lakh (of 117 lakh total) consumers from moving into higher tariff categories.
He further said that tariff has been reduced from the existing levels for the Sugarcane crushing units and HT-IV Lift Irrigation.