Now, PSPCL offers winter discount to large industry
R1/ UNIT Some relief for 100KW+ consumers who pay R6.33 per unit
PATIALA: In a pleasant surprise for large industries, the P unjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has announced a rebate of Re 1 per unit for the winter season — October to March — during offload hours between 10pm and 6am.
The sector had been making a case for cutting the 6.33 per unit tariff by underlining the free power given to farm sector, the poor and Scheduled Caste consumers. The demand has been fulfilled as part of Time of Day (ToD) tariff for large supply industrial consumers. As allowed by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission ( PSERC), the PSPCL has already issued a circular to staff for making necessary arrangements.
While the PSPCL claims it's just passing on the benefit of having excess power during winters, sources said the rebate was a necessity, as it has to pay for its committed allocation to the Centre and other sellers anyway. During peak winter, the PSPCL's demand nosedives - from 12,000 MW in the summer to barely 3,200 MW last year - - and every time it surrenders power drawn from central allocations besides dousing its own plants.
As some pacts and power purchase arrangements with upcoming projects have manda- tory obligation for PSPCL to purchase a minimum amount of power, the PSPCL is making grounds for selling this power through open access or by luring the big consumers by offering rebate in winter. With the new projects, Punjab may still fall short of power in the summer but would have surplus in the winter. "The PSPCL had two options: to switch off its own units in winters, as it has obligation to purchase power from private sector plants, or to offer rebate to the industry and create some space for selling," said an official.
At present, industries buy power through open access system from the grid, even from outside the state, at rates usually less than the standard tariff. The PSPCL gets only wheeling charges to supply this electricity. Further, fluctuation of load hits distribution when the industries switch to PSPCL power on their whim.
PSPCL chairman KD Chaudhary said: " We had to offer some incentive to industry as it's a big revenue generator. Initial estimates show we will give a rebate of Rs 125 crore in six months, as nearly 7,500 consumers (having load more than 100 KW) will get the benefit." A report about the technical and financial impact of introducing ToD would be submitted to the PSERC in April next year.
" It's a welcome move. Industry was already reeling under taxes and power tariff hike. However, it would benefit only those industries that run around the clock. Small and marginal industrial operates in the daytime. But it's good nonetheless," said Naresh Gupta, former president of Patiala Industrial Association.