11 Jul 2012 Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

Navneet Sharma

Power rates up in Haryana, courtesy fuel surcharge
CHANDIGARH: Power consumers in Haryana have been hit by a double whammy. While there is little respite from power cuts, they now have to pay more for power.

The increase, which has come in the form of fuel surcharge adjustment (FSA), ranges from 12 paise to 28 paise per unit for domestic, non-domestic (essentially commercial establishments) and industrial consumers in the state. While the consumers in agriculture and horticulture sectors have been spared from the increase, the consumers of other categories are to be charged the revised rates from the billing cycle beginning on July 1.

The FSA has been imposed by the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) on the request of power distribution companies Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) to recover Rs 1,087 crore on account of additional liability incurred by them on short-term power purchases during the 2010-11 financial year.

The FSA, which is in addition to the ongoing surcharge, will remain in force for the next 24 months and the discoms have been compensated by the regulatory commission for the staggered recovery of the surcharge by the allowing them “holding cost” of Rs 121 crore.

While power consumers of various segments, except supply to agriculture pump-sets, are already paying surcharge of 15 to 36 paise per unit, the domestic category consumers will have to pay 12 paise more per unit for consumption up to 40 units per month, 19 paise per unit (41-250 units), 23 paise per unit (251-400 units), and 24 paise per unit for consumption above 401 units per month.

Consumers of non-domestic and industrial segments have also taken a hit. While the nondomestic consumers will have to pay 24 paise more per unit, the power rates have gone up by 25 paise per unit for low-tension (LT) supply and 27 paise per unit for high tension (HT) supply to the industry. In its 1 2 - page order, the three-member commission headed by RN Prasher, a re t i re d IAS officer, has imposed additional fuel surcharge adjustment (FSA) between 18 and 28 paise per unit on bulk supply consumers such as group housing societies, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, railways and public water works.
While the FSA recovery from agriculture pump- s e t consumers and supply to fisheries and horticulture has been calculated at Rs 435 crore, the power regulator has deferred the decision on its recovery. Since the government has been taking over the financial liability on account of surcharge by paying extra subsidy to protect such consumers from the rate increase in the past, the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has written to the power department for payment of subsidy to the power utilities.