Power tariff hiked in Delhi by 5 percent

Adding to the woes of the Delhiites, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission on Friday announced a power tariff hike by 5 percent.

New Delhi: Power tariff for domestic consumers was hiked on Friday by five per cent by Delhi`s power regulator DERC but it waived the fuel surcharge, which will mean the hike will be marginal for residents except those in NDMC areas.

Electricity rates in posh NDMC areas will go up by four per cent, while the increase will be 0.5 per cent for BSES consumers and two per cent for those getting power from TPDDL, according to DERC chairman P D Sudhakar. Immediately after tariff was announced Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, with an eye on assembly polls in November, announced subsidy for the consumers whose consumption does not go beyond 400 units which will effectively mean that the bill for a section of consumers may actually go down compared to what they are paying now. Announcing the new tariff structure for 2013-14 at a press conference, Sudhakar said the Commission has decided the hike the tariff by 5 per cent for domestic consumers to help the power distribution companies meet their financial constraints. The new rates will come into effect from August 1. "We have decided to hike the tariff by five per cent with effect from August 1. As we have decided not to charge the power purchase adjustment cost, the effective hike will be 4 per cent for consumers in NDMC areas, 0.5 per cent for BSES consumers and 2 per cent for Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd consumers," he said. As per the new rates, a domestic consumer will be charged Rs. 3.90 per unit for first 200 units of power instead of current Rs 3.70. The per unit rate will be Rs 5.80 against current Rs 5.50 for consumption between 201 and 400 units while it will be Rs 6.80 against Rs 6.50 for consumption between 401 units and 800 units. For consumption beyond 800 units, the per unit rate will be Rs 7 per unit. Reacting to the hike in tariff, the Chief Minister said the government has noting to do with the functioning of the regulator and it decides about the rates on its own. "We have decided to give subsidy to large section of the consumers," she said. She said Rs 1.20 per unit subsidy will be given for consumption upto 200 units while Rs 0.8 will be given as subsidy for consumption between 201 and 400 units. The government has been giving Rs 1 subsidy for last few years for consumption upto 200 units. PTI