Reliance to hike power rates in suburbs

More than 28 lakh consumers of Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) in the suburbs are in for a significant hike in their monthly power bills.

More than 28 lakh consumers of Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) in the suburbs are in for a significant hike in their monthly power bills.

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That’s because RInfra has been given a clean-chit by Hyderabad’s Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) that was probing the business model of the power supplier.

This development means RInfra can now ask for a significant hike in monthly bills of its consumers.

Following the state’s directives last July, the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) had asked ASCI to conduct a probe. ASCI crosschecked allegations that disproportionate increase in RInfra’s capital investment and costs of buying expensive power had facilitated hefty hikes.

Last year, MERC also stalled RInfra’s hike after public outcry and a government directive. The hike would have increased monthly bills by 30-35 per cent.