UP's new concept of power supply to households

Lucknow, May 10 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPSERC) today announced the power tariff order for 2006-07 with introducing an unique concept, where the power tariff for the domestic consumers has been linked with the number of power supplied to them by the power utility.

Releasing the tariff order here, UPSERC chairman Vijay Kumar said no changes have been made in the tariff for the domestic consumers.

However, those getting 14-18 hours of power supply will get a 10 per cent rebate on the overall consumption.

Besides, the consumers getting above 18 hours of supply will pay 10 per cent more on their total consumption of power. However, the consumers with 2 kw connected load have been spared from this additional charge, Mr Kumar added.

For promoting power conservation, the consumers getting over 18 hour supply will get a discount of 20 per cent, if they achieve a consumption of 200 units in summers from April to September and 150 units per month from October to March. The minimum charges for this category of consumers have also been abolished.

To discourage the practice of bills issue by the UPPCL without meter reading showing NA/NR in the power bill, the Commission has recommended an incentive of Rs 1 per kw to the power employees.

For encouraging the metered power supply and checking power theft in rural areas, the UPSERC has increased the fixed charges on unmetered supply from Rs 110 per month to Rs 150. The first 100 units of power consumption will be free, if the consumers opt for the metered supply, which was earlier charged Rs 1 per unit.

Mr Kumar said as per the Indian electricity Act 2003, unmetered power supply was illegal. Still, there were 20 Lakh unmetered connection in rural and urban areas of UP.

To encourage the power employees to opt for the metered supply, the UPSERC has increased the rebate on metered supply from the present 30 per cent to 50 per cent on the power consumption.

However, the Commission has hiked the charges for the air conditioners from Rs 200 to Rs 250.

The UPSERC has announced relief to the heavy industry (HV-2) and other categories of bulk consumers as their tariff structure has been rationalised, which will result in 4-5 per cent reduction in power tariff from the industry. The regulator has not affected any change in tariff for the private tube wells and the domestic consumers.

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