UPERC move to make new power connections up to 5 kw cheaper

LUCKNOW: The UP Electricity Regulatory Commission on Friday did away with the one-time system loading charges on all new power connections up to 5 kilowatts (kw), barring industrial ones.

The move will make it a bit cheaper for people to subscribe to a new electricity connection, giving a push to the government’s mission to provide power for all the remaining 1.8 crore unelectrified households in the state by 2019.

“The commission, in line with the vision of “power for all” and in order to facilitate the prospective consumers (especially the domestic households and small shops/ commercial establishments) with easy access to electricity, has decided to abolish system loading charges,” the commission said in its order jointly passed by chairman Desh Deepak Verma and member SK Agrawal.

The system loading charges at present are levied at the rate of Rs 50 to Rs 300 per kw, depending on the connection load. This means a consumer who applies for 5 kw connection will have to pay Rs 1500 less after the commission’s order. The 1 kw connections are already exempted from the system loading charges.

Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad president Avadhesh Kumar Verma has welcomed the commission’s decision.

“This will reduce the cost of electricity connections and benefit people,” he said.

Verma demanded the commission to abolish the monthly fixed charges as well to make the use of electricity more affordable. The UPERC, according to secretary Sanjay Srivastava, had constituted a committee on simplification of tariff charges by an order dated 29.10.2015.

Further, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission / Forum of Regulators (FOR) considered the matter and formed a working group for rationalisation of charges for taking new connections.

“The commission, in its order, has paid due attention to their recommendations,” he said.