PUDUCHERRY: Power tariffs are set to rise in Puducherry with the Puducherry Electricity Department (PED), which is distributing power in the UT, proposing an enhanced tariff for the fiscal 2022-2023 to be applicable from April for its 5,11,829 consumers.
According to the proposal of the PED to the Joint Electricity Regulation Authority (JERC), in addition to revision of rate of tariffs, a 'time of day' tariff in three categories also has been suggested. While it will be normal charge from 6 a.m to 6 p.m, it will be 120 percent of normal charge from 6 p.m to 10 p.m and from 10 p.m to 6 a.m it will be 90 percent of normal rates. It will not be applicable to HT and EHT consumers. Besides, a regulatory surcharge of 5 percent to be applicable to all categories of consumers as a percentage of total energy consumption and demand charges payable by the consumer towards recovery of accumulated deficit has also been proposed.
In the domestic category, the PED has proposed to increase the tariffs from Rs 1.55 per KWH to Rs 1.90 per KWH for consumption for first 100 units and from Rs 2.60 to Rs 2.75 per KWH for the next consumption from 101 to 200 units, while keeping the rates unchanged for consumptions for 201 to 300 units and above 300 units. The fixed charges also remain the same.
In the commercial category (low tension), there is no hike proposed, but a hike from Rs 5.45 per KVAh to Rs 5.50 per KVAh for HT commercial is proposed.
For small farmers, the hike in fixed charges is from Rs 11 per HP per month to Rs 20 per HP per month, while for other farmers, the hike is from Rs 50 per HP per month to Rs 75 per HP per month.
For cottage industries, PED has proposed to increase the tariffs from Rs 1.55 per KWH to Rs 1.90 per KWH for consumption for the first 100 units and from Rs 2.60 to Rs 2.75 per KWH for the next consumption from 101 to 200 units.
For public lights and LT industries, the tariffs remain unchanged.
In the HT category, PED has proposed to hike the existing tariffs from Rs 5.30 per KVAh to Rs 5.35 per KVAh.
In the HT-II (for state government and central government establishments, non-industrial, non commercial), the hike will be from Rs 6.35 per KVAh to Rs 6.40 per KVAh and for the EHT category (all types of industries) from Rs 5.10 per KVAh to Rs 5.15 per KVAh.
Besides, there will be a cross-subsidy surcharge of Rs 2.19 per KWH for HT and Rs 1.36 per KWH for EHT consumers in 2022-2023.
The PED has sought to raise a surplus revenue of Rs 1751.16 crores from its requirement of Rs 1614.88 crores, a surplus of Rs 36.28 crores through the proposed tariff.
The tariffs proposed are subject to approval by the JERC after a public hearing.