Power to be costlier in powerless Haryana
By Riti, Section Electricity
Posted on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 10:21:28 PM EST
Already hit by power shortage, industries in Haryana are likely to bear an additional burden of 66 paise per unit as per a new proposal sent by the power distribution companies to the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC).
The distribution companies have proposed an additional tariff of 47 paise per unit on light-industry consumers and 66 paise on heavy-industry consumers. Railways will be hit even harder as it will have to pay an additional Re 1.15 on each unit taken from Haryana power utilities. The final decision is to be taken by the HERC.
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Domestic users consuming between 61 and 300 unit will have to shell out only two paise per unit but those whose usage is more than the limit will have to pay an extra 27 paise per unit, official sources said. Commercial users consuming between 101 and 250 units will have to pay 21 paise per unit and Re 1.41 per unit in case of excess consumption. However, the rate for consumers of electricity less than 60 units has been brought down by 13 paise.
However, Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry president OP Khurana and its general secretary Umesh Goel said the step would make the industry uncompetitive. Only if the loss could be reduced by 10 % out of an estimated 34%, there could be a saving of Rs 2000 crore. Above all, rates could be tolerable if electricity is available round-the-clock. Apart from this burden, the consumer will also have to contribute Rs 500 towards fuel surcharge arrears. HERC will take a separate decision on these arrears.
HERC chairman Bhasker Chatterje told The TOI that the hearing on proposals shall be scheduled soon. The proposals of hikes were sent on July 10 by the power distribution companies.
Source:The Times Of India 14thJuly2008.
