Power tariff remains unchanged in West Bengal

The power tariff in West Bengal remained unchanged for 2017-18 despite rise in fuel costs, the state's Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC) said today.

"After review, we have not increased the tariff for 2017-18 keeping the interest of consumers in mind, in spite of huge pressure from the major utilities to increase the tariff," WBERC chairman R N Sen told PTI.

Private utility the CESC and the state run West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) have put pressure on the Commission to hike the tariff due to rise in fuel costs, he said.

The CESC covers Kolkata and Howrah, while the WBSEDCL caters to the consumers of rest of the state.

The WBERC had earlier declared the 2017-18 tariff as per multi-year tariff scheme, but based on demand by the utilities, the tariff is reviewed but the tariffs remained unchanged.

The CESC had asked for a revised tariff of around Rs 8.40 per unit and WBSEDCL had sought about Rs 7.70 per unit.

But the average power tariff of WBSEDCL remained unaltered at Rs 7.12 per unit, while that of the CESC remained unchanged at Rs 7.31 per unit.

Tariff for the 2018-19 is yet to be announced.

State Power Minister Shobhandeb Chatterjee said, "We are happy that the Commission has not put any additional burden on consumers. We will still be paying subsidy for earlier rise, upto 300 units.