Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission shocker: Pay higher power bills from July 1

“An average consumer using 200 units will have to pay Rs 40 more in the monthly bill,” said an energy department official.
Image used for representational purpose only. (File Photo)
Image used for representational purpose only. (File Photo)

BENGALURU: Just three months after increasing the power tariff by five paise per unit, consumers are again in for a shock as they have to shell out more per unit of power consumed from July 1, 2022.
Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has approved the proposal submitted by the electricity supply companies (Escoms) to revise the power tariff and pass on the fuel cost adjustment charges on to the consumers.

According to the KERC order, in order to meet the overall power purchase cost, during the fourth quarter for financial year 2022, it has been decided to allow Escoms to collect fuel adjustment charges (FAC) per unit in all the energy bills to be issued to their respective consumers from July 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

‘Avg consumer to pay Rs 40 more for 200 units’

According to the order, consumers in Bescom limits for the fourth quarter will have to pay an adjustment of 31p per unit, in Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) limits 21p/unit, Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) 19p, Hubli Electricity Supply Company (Hescom) 27p and Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (Gescom) 26p/unit.

“An average consumer using 200 units will have to pay Rs 40 more in the monthly bill,” said an energy department official. The order also stated that charges are also applicable to consumers in Mangaluru SEZ and the FAC on Hescoms are also applicable to consumers of Hukeri RECS and Aequs SEZ, for the same period.

A senior energy department official told TNIE: “Revisions and adjustments in bills is a normal quarterly affair. The consumers do not realise it because it was marginal. But now because of higher price hike and due to political reasons it is being criticised. The hike is because coal procurement costs and other power purchase costs have increased. So there is no other option but to pass it on to consumers.” The official added the adjustment needs to be done.

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