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Power consumers in Andhra Pradesh will not face any power tariff hike in 2018-19.
Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission Chairman G Bhavani Prasad, releasing the tariff order on Tuesday, said 100 per cent of the consumers in 2018-19 . He indicated that power consumers would get more relief in future.
Domestic users spared
While 92 per cent of the power consumers in 2015-16, 96.6 per cent in 2016-17 and 90.5 per cent in 2017-18, were spared from tariff hike, there will be total exemption next fiscal.
The free or concessional supply of power to agriculturists of all descriptions will continue in 2018-19. Sharing insights into power purchase cost, which was as high as ₹33,626 crore in 2014-15, the Regulator said it was gradually brought down to ₹24,565 crore in 2018-19.
While the distribution licensees have projected a deficit of ₹7,983 crore, the Commission estimated the deficit to be ₹6,030 crore, thus limiting the burden by ₹1,953 crore. The government has enhanced the subsidy from ₹3,700 crore in 2017-18 to ₹6,030 crore.
The commission accepted a long pending demand of industries for incentivising power usage during off peak hours from 10 pm to 6 pm, where they get concession of ₹1 per unit.
To promote usage of electric vehicles, the commission introduced a new sub-category of the charging requirements of the consumers.
The domestic consumers of about 1.38 crore except the highest category numbering six lakh were not subjected to any increase in consumption charges from 2015-16 to 2018-19.
Discom debts set off
During 2017-18, Ujjwal Discoms Assurance Yojana (UDAY) relieved the distribution licensees of a debt of ₹14,720 crore.
The increase in energy charges did not touch group A and B domestic consumers, agricultural consumers, petty commercial consumers, cottage industries.
Earlier, 15 lakh consumers of 1.59 crore consumers were affected by 3 per cent to 3.6 per cent increase in charges, which the regulator said was less than the inflation in 2016-17.
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