In addition, any increase in fuel cost during the fiscal year will also be passed on to the consumers. During the last fiscal, the increase in fuel cost - to the tune of Rs 500 crore - was paid by consumers. Fuel surcharge, which is separate from power tariff, is levied on a quarterly basis.
The combined average cost of power for year 2013-14 has been worked out at 577.75 paise per unit. It was 538.66 paise per unit in the last fiscal. The new tariff order will applicable from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014.
The commission has allowed the purchase of power worth Rs 7,819 crore during the fiscal year. The commission has pegged the annual revenue requirement of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited at Rs 21,592.45 crore against the corporation’s projected figure of Rs 23,589.6 crore. This includes the amount approved to purchase power.
The total subsidy for free supply to the agricultural sector will be Rs 4,778.13 crore and for the free supply — up to 200 units per month — to poor sections will be Rs 829.29 crore.
The total subsidy bill, which the state government has committed to pay to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited in lieu of the free supply to the farm sector and poor sections of society, will be Rs 5,607.42 crore. This is less than the state government’s provision of Rs 5,785 crore in the budget.
In the domestic sector, the hike in tariff is 47 paise per unit for consumers using power up to 100 units. It has been increased from Rs 4.09 to Rs 4.56 per unit (11.49 per cent). For consumption up to 300 units, it has been increased by 53 paise per unit. The new rate will be Rs 6.02 paise per unit against the old rate of Rs 5.49 paise per unit (9.65 per cent). Above 300 units, the increase will be 63 paise per unit from Rs 5.81 to Rs 6.44 paise.
For commercial consumers such as shopkeepers, the tariff has been increased by 42 paise per unit — from Rs 6.03 per unit to Rs 6.45 per unit — for consumption up to 100
units.
In the above 100 unit category, it has been increased by 55 paise per unit - from Rs 6.03 to Rs 6.58 (9.12 per cent). This is the first time that commercial consumers have been divided into two categories.
For the agricultural sector, the increase is only 7 paise per unit - from Rs 4.18 to Rs 4.25 per unit. It is a little more than
1 per cent.
For small scale industry, the hike is 64 paise per unit - from Rs 5.10 to Rs 5.74 per unit (12.55 per cent). For medium scale industry, it has been increased by 65 paise per unit - from Rs 5.61 to Rs 6.26. For general industry, there is a hike of 72 paise - from Rs 5.61 to Rs 6.33 per unit (approximately 12 per cent). For railway traction, the increase is 55 paise per unit - from Rs 6.03 to Rs 6.58 per unit. For seasonal industry, the increase is 64-65 paise per unit.
There will be free power up to 2,000 units to the Golden Temple and Durgiana Temple. Beyond 2,000 units, the tariff has been increased by 53 paise per unit — from Rs 4.67
to Rs 5.20.
Taking some innovative steps, the commission has introduced Rs 1 per unit rebate on normal tariff for large supply industrial category during off-peak hours between 10 pm and 6 am from October to March. This will encourage industrialists to operate their units during off-peak hours. Gradually, this provision will also be extended to medium scale industry.
There will be rebate of 25 paise per unit for big power consumers who get direct supply at 220/130 KV and 20 paise per unit for those who get direct supply at 66/33 KV and 15 paise per unit for those who get supply at 11 KV.
Such consumers have to put up their own infrastructures such as grid station to get power. That is why a rebate has been announced for them.
