Orissa to hike power tariff from Apr 1

Bhubaneswar, Mar 19: With price of coal used for generating electricity going up by about 20 per cent and the government taking steps to provide quality power, Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has recommended 19.74 per cent hike in power tariff for 2011-12.

Though the new power tariff to be implemented from April 1, would not affect BPL families, it was certain to make a hole in middle class's pocket. Similarly, the new power tariff had also come as a major burden for industries.

As per the revision, the price for the first 50 units would now be Rs 1.40 per unit while it was earlier Rs 1.40 per unit for using power upto 100 units.

Families consuming electricity upto 200 units would now pay at the rate of Rs 3.50 per unit while consumers using power between 200 units and 400 units had to pay Rs 4.30 per unit. Consumers using above 400 units would be charged at the rate of Rs 4.80 per unit, the OERC recommendation said.

Of the state's 26 lakh domestic consumers, only four lakh families use upto 50 units per month. The power tariff hike would have no direct impact on these families.

Similarly, OERC had recommended hike in power tariff by 90 paise per unit to Rs 1.30 per unit for industrial users.

According to the revised tariff, high tension (HT) industries, though have CPPs but purchase electricity from Gridco, would pay Rs 6.50 per unit while extra high tension (EHT) would pay at the rate of Rs 6.40 per unit.

It was Rs 5.30 per unit for HT users and Rs 5.10 per unit for EHT users in the previous price chat. However, the tariff for irrigation, agricultural and allied activities, BPL families using upto 30 units per month and agro-based industries, remained unchanged.

The commission said the tariff for use of power in irrigation and agricultural activities were not increased as it hiked price for other categories.

PTI