Govt cuts Delhi power bills by up to 22%

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on Monday announced a ‘middle-class friendly’ revised tariff. Consumers will be charged Rs. 3.70 for the first 200 units and then Rs. 5.50 for consumption between 201 units and 400 units. HT reports.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on Monday announced a ‘middle-class friendly’ revised tariff. Consumers will be charged Rs. 3.70 for the first 200 units and then Rs. 5.50 for consumption between 201 units and 400 units.

Consumers are expected to get a relief of 5% to 22% in their electricity bills. The changes would be applicable with retrospective effect from July 1.

For consumers, it means, those who had been consuming 201 units and were paying Rs. 964.80 per month, will now pay Rs. 745.50, a saving of Rs. 219.30 per month. For those consuming 350 units, the savings will Rs. 115 because they will now pay Rs. 1,565.

“The consumption of majority of consumers in the city does not go beyond 400 units per month. So, the adjustment will benefit most low-end consumers,” said PD Sudhakar, chairman, DERC. “Close to 40% of Delhiites will benefit from the slab.”

The abolition of the 201-400 units slab and introduction of 0-400 units slab resulted in significant increase in the bills of a majority of consumers whose consumption was below 400 units. Last month, after much public outcry, DERC proposed to revert to the old slabs.

“Congrats to people of Delhi. Electricity rates reduced. But it’s...more of cosmetic. Struggle would continue,” Kejriwal, who protested against the hike, tweeted.

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