UPERC unlikely to consider UPPCL’s tariff-hike plan

UPERC CHAIRMAN INTERRUPTED AS THE UPPCL STARTED GIVING A PRESENTATION ON ITS PROPOSAL FOR SLAB CHANGES

LUCKNOW: The UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has indicated that it might not consider the UP Power Corporation Ltd’s ( UPPCL) proposal seeking changes in the existing power tariff slabs to hike electricity rates through the backdoor.

The UPERC on Tuesday held public hearing on the UPPCL’s annual revenue requirement (ARR) proposal to seek stakeholders’ views before the commission announces the power tariff order for 2022-23 next month.

The UPERC chairman RP Singh interrupted as the UPPCL started giving a presentation on its proposal for slab changes. He said there was no point in pressing for slab changes when a proposal in this regard was submitted to the commission before the ARR was accepted.

He also pointed out that the proposal was not published in newspapers before public hearing. “It seems that the UPERC has foiled the UPPCL’s bid to get the tariff increased,” UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad chairman Avdhesh Kumar Verma who was present in the public hearing said.

Though the UPPCL has not proposed any direct tariff hike this year, it wants changes in the tariff structure in a way that will increase its overall revenue by adversely impacting around 90 lakh domestic and commercial consumers for whom per unit charges will go up.

Verma demanded the UPERC to lower the tariff in keeping with its earlier order that said the UPPCL had overcharged Rs 22045 crore from consumers over the years by getting more tariff hikes than needed to meet its revenue requirements.

He also said that the UPPCL should provide free power to farmers as promised by the ruling party in its manifesto.