The Hindu Business Line : Reliance Energy hikes tariff in Mumbai

New tariff
For residential consumers whose power consumption is below 100 units per month, the increase would be 4%
Those with consumption levels of 300-500 units would face a 7% increase
For consumers using more than 500 units a month, the increase would be 19%
For commercial consumers, the increase would be between 14% and 34%

Mumbai April 24 Reliance Energy customers in Mumbai will pay 4 per cent to 69 per cent more for electricity, according to the company's new tariffs which were approved by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission on Tuesday.

The impact on customers will depend on their consumption and category. REL has 25 lakh customers in the city.

There would be no increase in tariff for consumers below the poverty line.

The new tariffs come into effect on Tuesday and are effective until March 31, 2008.

For residential consumers whose power consumption is below 100 units per month, there would be a four per cent increase in their monthly bills. Those with consumption levels of 300 to 500 units would face a seven per cent increase. For consumers using more than 500 units a month, the increase would be 19 per cent. For commercial consumers, the increase would be between 14 per cent and 34 per cent.

For the low-tension industrial consumers, the hike in bills would be between 17 per cent and 34 per cent. The high-tension industrial consumers such as hotels and cinemas halls would pay 69 per cent more for electricity.

Given the precarious demand-supply situation in Mumbai, MERC has chosen to target advertisement hoardings and malls for their conspicuous consumption.

The fixed charge for advertisement and hoarding consumers has been increased to Rs 400 per month, energy charge has been increased to Rs 13.55 per unit from the existing energy charge of Rs 11 per unit. In addition, there would be a reliability charge of Rs 1.09 per unit.

"The tariff has been determined such that it may be more economical for such consumers to opt for captive power supply through DG

sets rather than take supply from the distribution licensee (power companies)," the MERC said, in a press release.

The Commission has introduced a new tariff category for all multiplexes and shopping malls having a sanctioned load of more than 20 kW with tariff of fixed charge of Rs 300 per kVA per month, energy charge of Rs 7.40 per kWh and reliability charge of Rs. 1.09 per kWh, totalling to Rs 8.49 per unit.

More Stories on : Power | Maharashtra | Reliance Energy Ltd

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page