While consumers in the city await the new tariff announcement, they will have to pay more for power for the next three months as the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved a surcharge hike of 3 per cent in the TPDDL areas and 4.5 per cent in the BSES areas starting May 1 on account of a purchase cost adjustment (PPAC) for the quarter May-July.
Announcing the tariff plan in 2012, the DERC has allowed the dicoms to recover dues from consumers on a quarterly basis in the form of PPAC.
On Friday, the Commission announced that the consumers will now have to pay more for the next three months. “On the basis of the information submitted by the discoms and also considering the fact that, power from low cost stations has been regulated in case of BRPL and BYPL, the Commission approves the following power purchase cost adjustment surcharge on a provisional basis for the period May 1 to July 31, 2013 or till further orders,” the Commission said.
This revised surcharge will be applicable on the pro-rata consumption with effect from May 1 and on the basis of the energy consumed.
“The consumption will be determined on a pro-rata basis if meter reading includes the consumption of the period before May 1 or after July 31,” it has clarified.
Consumers were being charged a PPAC surcharge of 3 per cent in BYPL and BRPL areas and 1.5 per cent in the TPDDL areas from February 1 to April 30, 2013.
“The percentage increase on account of PPAC will be applied as a surcharge on the total energy and fixed charges and the bill format will have to identify the PPAC percentage and amount of PPAC surcharge billed as separate entities. The distribution licensee will levy PPAC after considering rebate on energy charges, if any, available to the consumer,” the Commission said.
Discoms cannot levy PPAC surcharge on the eight per cent surcharge that is currently applicable on the monthly charges.
In their petitions for PPAC revisions, the discoms BYPL and BRPL had sought an increase of 9.13 and 9.2 per cent respectively while TPDDL had sought an increase of 1.71 per cent.
“The BRPL and BYPL had also sought recovery of the balance claim of PPA of 19.5 per cent and 12.43 per cent against quarter 2 and 3 and TPDDL had sought a balance recovery of 12.47 per cent against quarters 2 to 4,” the Commission said. But the Commission decided not to consider the supplementary bills and those related to past arrears.
