Get rebate for using more power;2.74% hike in tariff in Punjab

Consumers in Punjab will now get rebate in power tariff if they consume "more" power, with electricity regulator PSERC today announcing a "meager" hike of 2.74 per cent in power tariff across all consumer categories for the year 2014-15.
Announcing consumer friendly initiatives in the new tariff order, Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) today announced the introduction of rebate of Re 1 per kWh for all consuming categories with an intention of encouraging consumers to use more energy.
"In order to encourage consumers of the state to consume more power, the Commission has introduced rebate of Re 1 per kWh on the category wise tariff for all categories except street lighting and AP categories on the consumption exceeding threshold limit," PSERC Chairperson Romila Dubey told reporters here today.

The threshold limit will be calculated after considering consumers' power consumption in past three years.
The move to give rebate to consumers came on the back of power utility PSPCL's claims of surplus availability of power during coming winter months.
Giving details of the power tariff for the year 2014-15, Dubey said, "there is an increase of 2.74 per cent in power tariff for the year 2014-15 to meet (PSPCL's) consolidated revenue gap of Rs 593.63 crore for the year 2014-15."

The hike of 2.74 per cent in tariff was the second lowest increase since 2007-08.
The "minimal" increase in power tariff was possible as PSERC brought down the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd's (PSPCL) projected consolidated revenue gap of Rs 15,550.64 crore to mere Rs 593.63 crore.

This is after "true-up" of the PSPCL's financials for the year 2010-11 and 2011-12 and review of 2013-14.
PSERC determined the PSPCL's annual revenue requirement at Rs 22,904.58 crore as against Rs 26,169.25 crore projected by power utility.
Delay in announcement of power tariff for 2014-15 was attributed to imposition of code of conduct ahead of Lok Sabha polls, non-passing of the state budget and then by-polls in Punjab, said PSERC Chairperson.
She further said that the commission was ready with the power tariff, but it did not receive the consent from Punjab government with regard to bearing power subsidy burden.

Sparing the domestic supply consumers who consume 0-100 units from any hike in tariff hike, the commission raised the power tariff in the range of 11-13 paise per kWh for all categories.
However, the power tariff for Agricultural Pumpsets (AP) or agriculture category was raised by 31 paise per unit to 456 paise per unit.