Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has increased the power tariff by 20 paise per unit for domestic consumers with effect from October 1. Hearing pleas of GRIDCO, the OERC passed an order in this regard, Wednesday.
However, the revised price will not be applicable to farmers and BPL consumers (Kutir Jyoti). “There is no change made in the monthly minimum fixed charge, demand charge and meter rent,” the OERC order added.
The Commission said it has not increased the tariff in its order issued in April due to the Covid situation. As the GRIDCO appealed again, the OERC has hiked the tariff.
The Commission has passed the order revising the Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) and Bulk Supply Price (BSP) of GRIDCO and resultant rise in retail supply tariff and open access charges for distribution companies. After revision, the gap in the ARR of GRIDCO has remained at `341.15 crore against `660.15 crore allowed earlier for this year, the Commission said.
With the hike, the domestic consumers will now have to pay tariff at `2.70 per unit for the first 50 units, `4.50 per unit above 50 units and up to 200 units, `5.50 per unit above 200 and up to 400 units. The tariff has been fixed at ` 5.90 per unit above 400 units per month. The power tariffs remained unchanged during last two financial years—2018-19 and 2019-20.
The OERC has also revised the BSP rate of power distribution companies (discoms) with effect from October 1.
The Commission has allowed reliability surcharge of 10 paise per unit for high transmission consumers availing power irrespective of nature of feeder. Similarly, the industrial consumers having 1MW or above line and drawing power in 33 KV will get a rebate of 10 paise per unit for the units consumed in excess of 70 per cent of the load factor. The rebate will be 20 paise, if the industrial consumer consumes more than 80 per cent of the load factor per month. Similarly, 2 per cent rebate will be given to all pre-paid consumers while the rural domestic consumers will get 5 paise per unit in addition to all existing prompt payment rebate, the Commission said.
Meanwhile, Odisha Electricity Consumers’ Association president Ramesh Satpathy demanded immediate rollback of the hike. “To safeguard the interests of GRIDCO and discoms, the Commission has put extra burden on the consumers, who are struggling for bread and butter due to the pandemic. We will take legal action,” he stated.
