With likely hike in power tariff, consumer set to feel pinch

PANAJI : The Goa electricity department has proposed a hike in the power tariff for the year 2018-19 and, if approved by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), it will come into force in April.
The department in its petition to JERC has suggested that a part of the cumulative revenue gap for the financial year 2018-19 amounting to Rs 79 crore be met through tariff hike.
The hike proposed for fixed monthly charges varies from Rs 5 to Rs 40 for various categories of consumers, with the steepest being for low tension commercial consumers in the 20-90KW category, and domestic non-commercial consumers with three-phase connections. While the former face a 80% hike taking their charges from Rs 50 to Rs 90, the later face a 78% hike translating to an additional payment of Rs 35 on the current Rs 45.

For single-phase domestic category and agriculture pump sets/irrigation category the hike is 25 %, while it is 20% for 0-20KW commercial category, 17% for low-tension industry category, 20% each for the agriculture allied activities and temporary commercial categories, and seven percent for high tension domestic consumers.
As far as energy charges are concerned, the department has proposed a hike ranging from 1.5% to 15%, where consumers may have to shell out between Rs 0.05 paise and Rs 0.50 paise per unit of power consumed.
The low tension agriculture (pumps/sets/irrigation) category is expected to bear the steepest hike of 15% followed by the low tension agriculture allied category where a hike of 12.5% has been proposed. For the categories of low tension commercial (201-400 units) and high tension agriculture/allied activities a hike of 11% has been proposed.
Low tension commercial consumers (above 400 units) will have to shell out 10% more for energy charges.
No hike in fixed charges has been proposed for the categories of high tension commercial, high tension industrial, high tension industrial (ferro metallurgical/steel melting/power intensive), high tension agriculture(pump/sets/irrigation), military engineering services/defence establishments, low tension temporary domestic supply, low tension agriculture (allied), high tension temporary supply and single point supply for residential complexes, commercial complexes and industrial complexes.
A large chunk of the department’s consumers — 55% — belong to the industrial category while 28% are domestic and 14% commercial. Agriculture, public lighting and other categories constitute one percent each.
JERC is yet to pass the tariff order.