Power Tariff Hike Proposal of MSEDCL Opposed Consumer Organization

Power Tariff Hike Proposal of MSEDCL Opposed Consumer Organization

MSEDCL has recently submitted a proposal of the tariff hike to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission. A few days ago, the petition has been filed against hike and the decision is now pending. Even though MSEDCL claimed that he has made a small hike in the petition, activist Pratap Hogade has appealed to citizens to oppose this hike. The hearing will be on 7th August in Nagpur.

Activist Pratap Hogade told TOI that MSEDCL has claimed that the tariff hike for domestic consumers in 0–100 units slab is merely 2%. However, in reality, it will increase by 17%. The tariff hike for high tension (HT) industrial consumers is 16%. The tariff for farm pumps has increased by a whopping 76%.

“MSEDCL has proposed KVAh billing. This will deny power factor incentive to industrial consumers and their tariff will effectively increase by 7%. The tariff petition will sound the knell for industries,” he said.

Consumers and activists have already registered the number of objections to the State Electricity Regulatory. The activist has appealed people to register their complaint to the commission before July 31. Proposal mentioned an average 22 per cent hike on the 2.5 crore electricity consumers in the state.

Presently, industrial power in the state is 25 to 35 per cent higher than all the neighbouring states. The proposed hike will be more than one and a half times. Rates of agricultural pumps are going to be high 2.7 to 5 times compared to the electricity tariff of May 2015.

Hogade alleged that MSEDCL had artificially reduced the distribution losses by inflating farm pump consumption.“The report of the committee on farm pump consumption has been submitted months ago. However, MSEDCL is not taking cognisance of it. If the report is implemented the revenue gap will reduce by between Rs7,000 crore and Rs9,000 crore,” he said adding that MERC had asked MSEDCL to submit the report along with tariff hike petition.

By doubling power bills of agricultural pumps, 15% distribution fraud is being hidden. The extra leakage and corruption amount is being charged from authentic electricity consumers, 90 paise per unit. The state government made a promise to all the improvements regarding electricity tariff, but none of these issues has come to an end. Pratap Hogade said,”this council has been organized to think about all these matters, to make MSEDCL and the State Government aware about the agitation.