Delhi BJP takes on power regulator, warns of consequences

Delhi BJP today alleged a "massive scam" in the power sector in national capital and cautioned regulator DERC of "consequences" if it goes ahead with another tariff hike while setting a deadline of March 21 for it to answer its posers on operation of discoms in the city.
It alleged that DERC, discoms and Delhi government were "collectively conniving to hike power tariff at the instigation of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit."
In a letter to Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission chairman P D Audhakar, Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel threatened to launch an agitation against the regulator if it could not provide satisfactory answers within five days on a number of issues including how "huge hikes" in tariff have been effected in the last two years without carrying out proper prudence check on discoms' accounts.

Goel said power tariff has been hiked in Delhi by a whopping 59 per cent in last two years which is the highest increase among all states while in Gujarat the rates were increased by only six per cent hike in the same period.
"A massive scam involving the discoms, Delhi Government and the DERC is going on in the power sector in Delhi. I have sought answers to so many pertinent questions from DERC. If it does not reply by March 21, then we will start an agitation. We will gherao the DERC office and will force him to quit," Goel told reporters.

Alleging that DERC was effecting hikes in tariff without carrying out scrutiny of the accounts of the discoms, Goel alleged that the regulator was acting in violations of various provisions of Electricity Act, National Electricity Policy and National Tariff Policy.

"As per National Tariff Policy, there must be competition among various distribution companies so that consumers benefit. Here in Delhi, there is monopoly as each of the three companies are distributing power in separate areas," Goel said.
The power tariff in the city was hiked by 22 per cent in 2011 followed by five per cent hike in February last year. The tariff was hiked by up to two per cent in May last year and again by 26 per cent for domestic consumers in July last year. The tariff was hiked by up to three per cent last month.

Goel said an Action Group for Power Tariff has been set up, having a number of experts as members, to look into the whole power tariff issue.
Goel alleged that DERC, discoms and Delhi government were "collectively conniving" to hike power tariff at the instigation of the Chief Minister.