BERC to start power tariff hearing from Feb 17

Power regulator Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) will hold a series of public hearings from February 17 in various parts of the state, including the state capital to finalise the electricity tariff rate for financial year 2017-18.
During the hearing, various stake holders and power consumers of different categories will put forward their views, suggestions and objections during the hearing of power distribution companies' tariff petition.
A three member commission headed by S K Negi, a regulatory body entrusted with the job of fixing electricity tariff rate for all types of consumers, will hold a total of six public hearings in prominent five cities of the state.

Both North and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd had in December 2016 filed a tariff petition before the commission seeking an increase of upto 100 per cent in the electricity tariff for 2017-18 in certain categories of power consumers.
Distribution companies have proposed the hike of 100 per cent for urban domestic consumers.
As per the tariff petition 2017-18 filed before the BERC, discoms want fixation of Rs 6.30 per unit against the existing rate of Rs 3.00 per unit for first 100 units while it sought Rs 7.50 against Rs 3.65 per unit for another 100 units (101 to 200 units).

Similarly, companies have proposed Rs 7.90 against existing Rs 4.35 for third slab of 100 units (from 201 to 300) while the companies want the tariff rate to be Rs 8.10 per unit against the existing rate of Rs 5.45 per unit for the fourth slab i.E. Units consumed above 300 units, petition said.

"The commission has announced a time-schedule to hold public hearings in different parts of the state. The hearing would start from February 17 from Muzaffarpur before concluding the hearing in the state capital on February 27 & 28," Commission's official said.
The Commission is likely to pronounce its tariff order by the end of March (2017) so that the new tariff regime is smoothly implemented from next financial year i.E. April 1, 2017.

The public hearing would be conducted in different divisional headquarters in order to receive feedback and suggestions from various stakeholders and power consumers residing in different parts of the state.
As per the schedule available on the BERC's site, the prominent towns/cities- where the commission would be holding public hearings on February 17 at Muzaffarpur along with Saran and Darbhanga division, on February 20 at Bhagalpur along with Munger division, on February 21 at Purnea along with Saharsa division, on February 23 at Gaya and on February 27 and 28 at Patna.