HRY POWER RATES UP BY 26 PAISE/UNIT

CHANDIGARH :Power consumers in Haryana, barring those from the farm sector, will have to pay more from July 1 with the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) increasing the power tariff for 2017-18.

The tariff for domestic consumers consuming 151 to 500 units of power per month has been increased by 25 paise per unit. These consumers will have to pay 35 paise per unit more if their consumption is between 501-800 units a month.

Consumers whose total monthly consumption is 801 units and above will attract a flat (non telescopic) increase of 35 paise per unit. This means if the consumption goes beyond 800 units, the entire usage will attract a 35 paise increase. There has been no tariff increase if the power consumption is up to 150 units per month.

Power distribution company Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), however, said since they have been reducing the fuel surcharge, the consumers will not feel any heat due to increase in the power tariff.

The fuel surcharge is levied along with the basic tariff in the electricity bills of the consumers.

A UHBVN spokesperson said the distribution companies have been decreasing the fuel surcharge since September 2016. From July 1, the surcharge is 37 paise per unit as compared to 65 paise per unit levied in April.

The fuel surcharge is the additional cost of fuel that is borne by the power distribution companies while purchasing electricity from generators and later passed on to the consumer.

The electricity rates for nondomestic consumers has also been increased in the range of 30 paise to 45 paise per unit, while for HT industry category, it has been increased by 50 paise per unit.

The power tariff for the pampered agriculture sector stays at 10 paise per unit for the metered connections and ₹15 per brake horse power (BHP) for unmetered connections.