Odisha: No power tariff hike this year

Bhubaneswar: In a major relief to power consumers in the State, the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC), the State’s electricity regulator, today announced power tariff will remain unchanged for 2018-19 fiscal.

The Commission took the decision thinking the tariff hike will put extra burden on consumers.

OERC’s Director (Regulatory Affairs) Priyabrat Patnaik confirmed the news to reporters here after rejecting proposals of power generation and distribution companies to increase power tariffs. “The power tariff will remain unchanged for domestic consumers, commercial and industrial units for this year,” Patnaik added.

He also informed that 1% rebate over and above the normal rebate if consumers pay through online.

The power tariff for domestic consumers having consumption upto 50 units has remained unchanged at Rs 2.50 paise per unit.

Various consumer forums and political parties urged the OERC not to accept the proposals of power generation and distribution companies to increase power tariffs.

Two power generation companies—Odisha Hydropower Corporation (OHPC) and Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC)—kept their views before the commission. Both of these companies urged the OERC to hike power tariff.

Similarly, power distribution companies such as Gridco, OPTCL, CLDC, Cesu, Cesco, Nesco, Wesco, Southco had been demanding tariff hike citing increase in infrastructure cost.

The Commission, however, stated that distribution companies are incurring losses due to poor management and transmission losses.

Notably, the OERC last year hiked of 10 paise per unit in electricity tariff for 2017-18.  The Commission has fixed the tariff at Rs 2.50 per unit for the first 50 units, Rs 4.30 per unit for consumption above 50 units upto 200 units, Rs 5.30 per unit for consumption above 200 to 400 units and Rs 5.70 per unit for consumption above 400 units.

 

 

 

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