A whopping amount ranging between Rs 32 crore and Rs 33 crore is the monthly electricity bill paid by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB),depending on whether the month has 30 or 31 days. “This is onethird of the revenue earned by BWSSB each month. Our income in August and September was around Rs 99 crore,” said Kemparamaiah,Engineer-in-Chief,BWSSB. “The electricity charges used to be two-thirds of our revenue earlier. Due to the revision in water tariff effected in 2004, it accounts for one-third our income now,” he added.
Of the electricity bill charges,Rs 11 crore goes to Mysuru’s Chamundeswari Electricity SupplyCorporation Ltd for charges incurred for Torekadanahalli in Mandya district and Rs 21 crore goes to Bangalore Electricity Company Limited as charges for Tataguni and Harohalli (Rs 10.5 crore each). A dedicated 220KV line is in place from Somanahalli to ensure that water reaches the city without interruption in case of power disruption. Electricity is paid to the tune of Rs 4.10 per unit plus taxes.