Odisha To Hike Power Tariff From October 1 With Some Exemptions

Bhubaneswar: Odisha will see a 20 paise per unit hike in power tariff from October 1. This increase in charge, however, will not be applicable to farmers and people below the poverty line.

The Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC), in a notification, said that it had allowed a gap of Rs 660.15 crore in the aggregate revenue requirement to provide relief to the consumer considering the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

Following an application by GRIDCO on August 21 to revisit the gap, the commission reheard the matter and passed an order on September 23 to bring it down to Rs 341.15 crore. “The consequential rise in retail supply tariff and open access charges for distribution lincensees and utilities will be effective in the state from October 2020,” it said.

The OERC further said that Kutir Jyoti, BPL and agriculture consumers have been exempted from this rise of 20 paise per unit in energy charge. There will also be no change in meter rent and monthly minimum fixed charge and demand charge.

“The transmission tariff of OPTCL for FY 2019-20 shall remain unchanged for FY 2020-21 @ 25 paise, per unit,” it said.

The average rise in Retail Supply Tariff for 2020-21 is 3.90 per cent (annually) over 2019-20. There was no tariff rise from 2001-02 to 2009-10, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2018-19 and 2019-20. The tariff rise during 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2017-18 was 22.20 per cent, 19.74 per cent, 11.84per cent, 2.40 per cent, 4.64 per cent and 1.44 per cent respectively, the notification added.

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