HP power regulator spares consumers from tariff hike shock

There would be no hike in power bills for any category of consumers in Himachal as the State Electricity Regulatory Commission has maintained last year's charges in the tariff order announced today.
The commission rejected the enhanced Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) of HP State Electricity Board in its tariff order for 2017-18.
The power board had claimedARR of Rs 6,673 crore which is Rs 1,517 crore more than projectedMulti Year Tariff order.
The Commission determined the ARR for 2017-18 at Rs 5,015.75, showing a surplus of Rs 3.17 crore.
The Lifeline consumers would continue to get 60 units of electricity at the rate of Re 1 per unit after government subsidy of Rs 1.85 per unit. The subsidised tariff for other consumers would be Rs 1.50 per unit for 1-125 units, Rs 2.90 per unit 126-300 units and Rs 4.35 per unit for more than 300 units with service charges of Rs 50 per month.

The HPSEB had claimed Rs 468.69 crore to meet the expected liabilities on account of pay revision and Rs 350 crore for controllable parameter for 2017-18 by the Regulator did not accept the claims, maintaining that the claim would be tenable only after the wage revision was effected.
Sources in the commission said that there was increase in resources of the board as about Rs 140 crore was saved in power procurement, transmission and distribution (T and D) losses were reduced, making more power available and salt of power outside the state fetched better rates.
The Board also earned incentive of Rs 22.36 crore for commendable achievement in reducing T and D losses.