| Publication: The Times Of India Pune; | Date: Nov 1, 2011; | Section: Front Page; | Page: 1 |
Power to cost more for next 12 months Chittaranjan Tembhekar | TNN
Mumbai: Domestic consumers will have to pay eight paise to 74 paise per unit more depending on the consumption over the next 12 months, starting November. For more than 1.8 crore consumers, the average increase would be 41 paise per unit from next month. The rise would be approximately 45 paise per unit for 1.4 crore residential consumers.
Consumers in the below poverty line (BPL) category with monthly consumption of 30 units, will pay eight paise per unit more or Rs 2.40 more per month. Consumers using 100 units will pay 25.38 paise per unit more (additional monthly expenditure of approximately Rs 25) and those consuming in excess of 100 units up to 300 units will have to pay 44.83 paise per unit more.
This is besides the rise in regular power tariff,which will be decided later by the Maharashtra State Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) on the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company
Ltd (MSEDCL) proposal for the next five years as per the new multi-year tariff system.
The MERC on Monday approved an interim recovery of Rs 3,265 crore to the MSEDCL against the company's demand of approximately Rs 5,155 crore to meet the increased expenses due to the increase in power purchase costs. The MSEDCL had proposed to recover about Rs 5,155 crore at an average of 61 paise per unit increase in the existing tariff. Initially, MERC had refused to grant it, stating that it needed certain clarifications on audit accounts and expenses. However, after the recent coal crisis that resulted in sudden loadshedding at the onset of Diwali, the MSEDCL again placed its demand for recovery saying that it needed money to avoid any financial crisis and a possible power crunch.
Sources said that MERC has only sanctioned a partial relief of Rs 3,265 crore to the MSEDCL for maintaining its credit-worthiness with commercial banks. The recovery will begin on Tuesday, November 1, 2011.
Sources said that MERC had entertained the MSEDCL application in view of the "emergency situation" as described by MSEDCL and a possible requirement of bank loans in the near future for the rabi season and for summer when the power requirement will be high. The sanction has come subsequent to the public hearings held by MERC at six divisional headquarters from October 7-25.
MERC has also directed the MSEDCL to present a roadmap for recovering its dues, which now total in excess of Rs 15,000 crore. The power distribution company had applied for an interim relief of Rs 5,155 crore "with immediate effect" on September 5. The petition was heard on September 24 by MERC. However, the power regulator had observed that it would not allow any increase until the public hearings were held.
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