Power tariff likely to stay the same for fourth successive year

NEW DELHI: Sources in the Delhi government claimed that for the fourth consecutive year, no hike in power tariff will be seen in the national Capital.

Low power tariffs was one of the poll planks of the Aam Aadmi Party, ahead of the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections.

While states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand raised tariffs by 10-20 per cent, Delhi has effected no hikes since 2014, sources said.

The Bjp-led government in Uttar Pradesh was the latest state to raise power tariffs in December, despite the party’s massive victory in the municipal elections, with rural and semi-urban areas seeing a massive hike.

“It is likely that the regulator approves PPACS (power purchase adjustment charges), which will lead to increase in tariffs, but a hike in per unit cost of power is unlikely,” a Delhi government source said.

Power tariff in Delhi was last hiked in 2015 by up to six per cent, when the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) approved PPACS for the three distribution companies, namely BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL), BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL).

A formal tariff revision last took place in 2014, when per unit cost of power was raised by up to eight per cent.

Currently, electricity rates start at Rs 4 per unit for consumption of up to 200 units, going up to Rs 5.80-5.90 per unit for 200-400 units, Rs 7.30 per unit for 400-800 units and higher for more consumption.

The Delhi government has also implemented concessional power tariffs in New Delhi Municipal Council, Delhi Cantonment and all district Court for lawyer chambers.