Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission Likely to Announce New Tariff Rates in a Fortnight

New Delhi:  Delhi’s power regulator DERC is all set to announce the revised electricity rates for 2015-16 within a fortnight as it has nearly completed the tariff determination exercise including scrutinising the finances of the three private power distribution companies.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) will hold public hearing on August 4 and 5 as part of the process to finalise the tariff following which the rates for domestic and commercial consumers will be fixed.

Sources in DERC indicated that there is a possibility of “no hike” at all or a very marginal hike of 1-2 per cent, notwithstanding the demand for a substantial increase by the private power distribution companies. They said tariff will be announced within a fortnight.

Citing the widening revenue gap of around Rs 28,000 crore, Delhi’s three private power distribution companies — BSES Yamuna Pvt Ltd, BSES Rajdhani Pvt Ltd and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd — had sought up to 20 per cent hike in tariff.

Representatives of various Resident Welfare Associations are likely to participate in the two-day public hearing on tariff.

The AAP government is understood to have conveyed to DERC that it was not in favour of any hike.

The two BSES discoms had petitioned DERC for upto 19 per cent hike, while TPDDL has demanded an increase of 20 per cent.

The DERC sources, however, said there was no possibility of heeding to the demands of the three private discoms.

Making a case for hiking tariff, the discoms have argued that their combined revenue gap due to absence of a cost-reflective tariff has gone upto Rs 28,000 crore and the financial position would worsen further if there was no significant increase in rates.

On June 12, the DERC had hiked tariff by upto six per cent to compensate the discoms for rise in power purchase cost. The AAP government had strongly criticised the DERC for the hike.

Power tariff was a major issue for AAP during the Delhi polls. The Kejriwal government had in February announced a 50 per cent subsidy on monthly power consumption upto 400 units till the government receives the CAG report on financial condition of the discoms.

In its first stint, the AAP government had ordered a CAG audit of all the three discoms, claiming they have been misleading the government and the DERC about their financial position.

The city has seen a series of hikes in power tariff in the past two years.

The tariff was hiked by 22 per cent in 2011 followed by five per cent rise in February 2012. The rates were increased by up to two per cent in May 2012 and again by 26 per cent for domestic consumers in July 2012.

It was hiked by up to three per cent in February 2013 and again by five per cent in August 2013. It was increased by upto 7 per cent in November last year.