Patiala, September 29
The Punjab Government has revised the charges for the release of new electricity connections to various categories of consumers. The new rates will come into effect from October 1.

Connection charges for large scale (LS) industrial power consumers will go up by more than 100 per cent. Consumers in the domestic and non-residential supply (NRS) category, which covers commercial establishments, will have to shell out 25 per cent more.

The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has issued a circular to this effect. As per the circular, new connection charges have been revised in terms of per kilowatt (KW) power for Domestic/NRS categories and per kilo-volt ampere (KVA) for Large Supply (LS) Industrial category. The new fee structure varies as per the quantum of load applied for by a consumer seeking a new power connection. For getting a new LS

industrial connection, an applicant will now have to shell out Rs 2,200 per KVA for load up to 500 KVA. Earlier, these charges were a mere Rs 900 per KVA. New connections charges for Medium Supply Industrial category (20 KW-100 KW) have been revised to Rs 1,900 per KW from Rs 900 per KW.

In the domestic category, a new connection of upto 1 KW load would cost Rs 375 whereas charges for a connection exceeding load of 1 KW and upto 3 KW would be Rs 450 per KW. For load above 3 KW and upto 7 KW, the connections charges would be Rs 750 per KW.

Likewise, for the NRS category, revised charges per KW load would be Rs 375 (for 1 KW), Rs 750 (for load above 1 KW and upto 3 KW) and Rs 1,125 (for load above 3 KW and upto 7 KW).

Industry bodies have slammed the increase in connection charges. Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Punjab) president PD Sharma said it would prove a deterrent for new industries in the state. "On the one hand, the Punjab Government exhorting industrialists to set up shop in the state and on the other it has announced a hike of over 100 per cent in new power connection charges for the LS industrial category. We strongly condemn this hike," he said.

Federation of Punjab Small Industries Association president Badish K Jindal said the increase in connection charges was the latest in the state's anti-industry decisions. "All recent decisions taken by the Punjab Government are anti-industry. The government is forcing the industry to move out of Punjab," he said.

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited CMD KD Chaudhri defended the hike. "The last hike was in 2008 and it was a marginal one. Moreover, this hike has been finalised by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission after giving the Punjab Power Corporation, industrial sector and other categories of consumers an opportunity to present their point of view," he said.