The two power distribution companies in the State — TSSPDCL and TSNPDCL — have submitted the retail supply tariff proposals for 2018-19 without effecting any change in the charges for first two slabs of domestic category but increasing them for other slabs as well as the tariff for commercial users.
Utmost secrecy was maintained on filing the retail tariff for the next financial year as, according to official sources, the powers that be were understood to have questioned the top executives of the two utilities whether it was necessary to inform the media about the tariff proposals, which has been the practice all through.
Other categories
According to official sources, the Discoms did not propose any increase in the tariff for the first two slabs of the domestic category but wanted the regulatory body to allow them hike the tariff for other slabs in the domestic category as well as for the commercial category citing the increase in the average cost of supply following the increase in variable costs — fuel and transportation.
Sources in the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TSERC), when contacted, admitted that the tariff proposals along with the aggregate revenue requirement reports were submitted. “After the Discoms filed their ARRs on Friday last without the retail tariff proposals, the Commission has expressed its serious disappointment and shot letters to the two power utilities that only ARRs were not acceptable and directed them to file ARRs along with retail supply tariff proposals,” the sources said.
No information
Further, the sources stated that the officials of the Discoms had simply submitted the ARRs and retail tariff proposals in the inward section of the Commission. “Generally, it has been the practice to inform the regulatory body in advance about the submission. Even the media is informed in advance and if not possible on the same day of filing so that the details are known to people. But this year, it’s a different story”, the sources explained.
Repeated attempts to contact the top executives of the two Discoms did not bear fruit as the phone calls were not answered. Official sources, however, admitted that the revenue gap of the two Discoms could be in the range of about ₹10,000 crore for 2018-19 since the government has already decided to implement round-the-clock power supply to agriculture sectors from January 1.
