Power regulator bows to pressure from consumers

A number of complaints from consumers as well as pressure from the Opposition party over the huge jump in electricity bills after a revision in July seem to have forced the Delhi power regulator to take some corrective steps.

A number of complaints from consumers as well as pressure from the Opposition party over the huge jump in electricity bills after a revision in July seem to have forced the Delhi power regulator to take some corrective steps.

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After a large number of people complained during public hearings that their electricity bills increased mainly because the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) removed the 201-400 units slab, the power regulator has proposed to reintroduce the category. The abolition of the slab and the introduction of the 0-400 slab had resulted in a 33% jump in electricity bills of majority of consumers whose consumption exceeded 200 units.

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The regulator will now reintroduce the slab and also proposed to increase tariff for units consumed beyond 200 from the existing Rs. 4.80 per unit to Rs. 5.70 per unit.

If your power consumption is close to 200 units, you are likely to save about 19% in your power bill. If your consumption is close to 400 units, your monthly bill is likely to come down by 3%.

The DERC will also conduct a public hearing on the issue on October 8 to seek comments of the stakeholders on the proposal following which a final decision will be taken. The regulator proposed to change the slab with retrospective effect from July 1 when hiked tariff came into effect.

But senior BJP leader Vijay Goel, who has been running a campaign against power tariff hike along with several resident welfare associations, said the proposed changes are just eye wash.

"The DERC has no power to increase or decrease power tariff now. The regulating agency is working at the behest of the government and is fooling people. We protest against this revision and demand immediate rollback of all tariff hikes," Goel said.