Utilities providing electricity to the city have pleaded for a hike in tariffs ranging from 17 per cent to 51 per cent for the next financial year.
Utilities providing electricity to the city have pleaded for a hike in tariffs ranging from 17 per cent to 51 per cent for the next financial year.
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Reliance Infrastructure, Tata Power and BEST have sent their annual revenue requirement details to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) over the last week and released advertisements to that effect. It is customary on part of power companies to make a representation on their proposed power tariff in February.
Members of the public can send their suggestions on the proposed tariff to the company as well as the Commision. The Commission has scheduled a hearing on their representation later in March. The actual directive from the commission is received only by the month of June.
Advertisements released by power companies explaining their proposals for power hike indicate the proposed rise is due to rise in cost of power last year and a possible increase this year. Reliance Infrastructure has proposed an average price hike of 17 per cent for residential users.
For, industrial and commercial users, the proposals are mixed with tariff rise proposed for a certain section of users and reduction for some sections. Reliance Infrastructure has proposed maximum hike for advertisement hoardings and streetlights at 30 to 35 per cent.
The company has indicated it would incur losses while supplying power to residential users but will make up for it by supplying power to other categories of consumers. In case of Tata Power, the price rise is about 20 to 24 per cent.
But the company essentially provides power to bulk users and only small part of its supply goes to residential houses. BEST has proposed an average hike of 51 per cent but it was charging less compared to others earlier.