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UT proposes 21% hike in Power Rates

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">City residents who were made to shell out security deposit in the last bill along with fuel charges may soon have to pay more on account of energy charges as well, as the UT electricity department has approached Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for a 21% hike in power tariff. Taking the plea that the proposed hike was necessitated by revenue shortfall of INR 156 crore, the UT electricity department has filed its annual revenue requirement projections before the JERC, proposing the hike for next financial year 2014-15 starting April 1.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">As per the proposed hike for domestic consumption, the power tariff for up to 150 units would be increased from existing INR 2.30 to INR 2.78. For domestic consumption of 150-400 units, the department has proposed tariff of INR 4.60, while the existing tariff is INR 4.20. For electricity above 400 units, the increase proposed would be from INR 4.40 to INR 4.95.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">For non-domestic consumers, the tariff of INR 4.70 from existing INR 4.40 for using 0-150 units, INR 5.30 from current INR 4.50 for 150-400 units and INR 5.70 from existing tariff of INR 4.70 for above 400 units have been proposed by the UT Electricity Department. UT has also sought to hike in power tariff in categories including non residential areas, medium and small industries. However, electricity officials maintained that going by the past trends, chances of the hike being given a go-ahead were bleak. In 2013-14, the JERC had rejected the proposal of power tariff hike as the electricity department&#39;s accounts were surplus by INR 1.57 crore.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Source-On Request</span></span></span></p>