No increase in tariff for 2022-23, says Odisha power regulator after 2 back-to-back hikes

OERC: Odisha power regulator has raised the discount for online electricity bill payment to 3% of the bill amount.

Published on: Mar 25, 2022, 01:25:15 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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BHUBANESWAR: After two successive hikes in power tariff during the Covid pandemic, the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission on Thursday announced that there will be no increase in tariff for the state’s 96 lakh retail consumers.

The existing retail electricity tariff of ₹3 per unit for the first 50 units, ₹4.80 for 50-200 units, ₹5.80 for 200-400 units, ₹6.20 for above 400 units will continue, said OERC (Photo/OERC)

OERC secretary Priyabrat Patnaik said the existing retail electricity tariff of ₹3 per unit for the first 50 units, ₹4.80 for 50-200 units, ₹5.80 for 200-400 units, ₹6.20 for above 400 units will continue for 2022-23.

The commission said consumers who pay their electricity bills online will get a discount of 3% instead of the existing 2%. Rural domestic consumers who draw their power through the correct meter and pay the bill on time will get a discount of 10 paise per unit in addition to the existing rebate for prompt payment.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the commission has raised the power tariff for domestic consumers twice, first in October 2020 and again in April 2021, by 50 paise per unit.

Earlier. the four power distribution companies - TPCODL, TPNODL, TPSODL, TPWODL - that supply power had urged the OERC to raise the tariff projecting a revenue gap of ₹1192.37 crore for the year 2022-23.

However, Odisha’s energy department last month argued against a tariff hike for retail consumers and asked the commission to take into account the surplus revenue of the four power distribution companies (DISCOMs) controlled by Tata Power.

“The OERC was requested to direct the DISCOMs to bring down the aggregate technical and commercial losses faster so that consumers get the benefit of lower tariff,” an official of the energy department said.

However, Odisha Janshakti Manch (OJM), a citizens’ group said that despite no hike in power tariff, consumers in the state were already paying more in comparison to people of other states of the country.

“In Odisha, households consuming less than 200 units of electricity per month pay ₹945 while those in Andhra Pradesh pay ₹620. Households in Chhattisgarh pay ₹861 and people in Punjab pay ₹672…. Households in Tamil Nadu get 100 units of free electricity bimonthly,” said Ashok Kumar Nanda of OJM.

He further said the power tariff in Odisha is very high as the rates are determined by the OERC in accordance with the estimation and projection of expenses provided by the distribution and transmission companies.

“No audit has been conducted to find out the exact expenses and losses incurred by the DISCOMS. Like Delhi, where rates were reduced after an independent audit. a similar audit should be undertaken,” he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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