New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) Come Monday, Delhi residents will have to pay more for power as the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission hiked the power tariff by up to six percent.
Consumers of BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd (BYPL), which control 70 percent of Delhi’s total area, will pay six percent more.
In areas where Tata Power (TPDDL) gives electricity, the tarrif has been hiked by 4 percent. In New Delhi Municipal Council area, the charge has been increased by up to 5 percent.
Delhi’s AAP-led government said it did not agree with the “uncalled for” decision. The Arvind Kejriwal government also hinted that it might challenge the decision in court.
The decision to hike powwr tariff was taken after the Appellate Tribunal of Electricity (APTEL) asked the DERC to give Power Purchase Adjustment Cost to power discoms.
In November 2014, the DERC had allowed a PPAC surcharge only to revoke it the next day. The power discoms had gone to the tribunal.
Cheap power and water have always been the big-ticket promises of the Aam Aadmi Party. After taking power in Delhi, the AAP slashed power rates by 50 percent for up to 400 units.
A Delhi government statement said: “The government has also decided to seek opinion for taking legal recourse against this decision, which in its view is uncalled for, since no financial burden should be passed on to consumers till all issues arising out of the functioning of power distribution companies are sorted out.”
The Delhi government also said the DERC should have waited for the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the power disruption companies.