State power regulator okays hike in tariff in Andhra Pradesh

The state power regulator today allowed increase in power tariff for various categories that would impose an additional financial burden of Rs 6,173 crore on power consumers in Andhra Pradesh even as all opposition parties strongly denounced the move.
The new tariff schedule issued by Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) today for 2013-14 will come into effect from April 1 with an average increase of 58 paise per unit on low-tension category consumers and Rs 1.12 per unit on high-tension category consumers.
Earlier, all opposition parties had sought government intervention to stall the hike.
The APERC has also increased the number of slabs for domestic consumers from six to ten, which is expected to pinch the consumers.

Similar changes were also made in slabs for commercial and industrial power consumers as well while the agriculture sector remained untouched in tune with the government's policy of free power supply and for which it would bear a subsidy burden of Rs 5,480 crore.
The four power Discoms (power distribution companies) had projected an aggregate revenue requirement of Rs 40,639 crore for 2013-14 with the total energy requirement of 89,845 million units after factoring in the losses.

The APERC approved total sale of 77,410 million units of power that will generate revenue of Rs 28,996 crore for the discoms.
With widespread protests over the move to enhance power tariff during the election year, the Congress government is understood to be searching for ways to ease itself out of the situation.

A Cabinet sub-committee is expected to study the APERC tariff order and possibly recommend at least 'partial relief' to certain categories of consumers, government sources indicated.