NEW DELHI: Amid reports that electricity prices in the national capital have gone up since May 1 as power companies have hiked electricity tariffs, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Wednesday accused the AAP government of secretly increasing electricity tariffs in the city through the Power Purchase Adjustment Cost (PPAC) Act.
“They are increasing the rates surreptitiously. They are not changing the units, but under the PPAC Act, the charges have increased to 8.5 per cent, hence, doubling it for the consumers,” Sachdeva said.
Power department sources said the increase is meant to recover costs incurred by distribution companies when purchasing electricity from power generation firms.
“The tariff remains the same. The change reflected in electricity bills is from fixed charges and energy charges levied on the consumers,” an official said.
The BJP, however, alleged that the government is shifting these higher costs to consumers via electricity bills.
The Delhi BJP chief also questioned the financial burden on the public due to a pension trust for retired employees of the power companies.
He argued, “There is a pension trust for retired employees from companies who will receive pensions. Why should the people of Delhi bear the burden of this expense?”
He hit out at the government, claiming, “It is the policy of the Delhi government that besides running the government from jail, they will also loot Delhi from prison.”
Sachdeva also highlighted the frequent power cuts in the national capital amid the intense summer heat. He claimed the government secretly arranged to hike electricity prices to “loot Delhi.” Additionally, he alleged that Power Purchase Adjustment charges, previously unheard of, have gradually started appearing on electricity bills.