Residents of Bengaluru thought the worst may have passed when frequent rains started offering some respite from the searing heat in April. But May began with a shock ... in the form of the electricity bill for April.
The high temperatures pushed many Bengalureans to invest in air-conditioners (AC), a trend that has started gaining ground in the last few years, as summers have become increasingly hotter. But this year, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission allowed an average increase in tariff of 48 paise a unit. The end result is bills that run into thousands of rupees even for domestic consumers.
Take the case of Balasubramaniam who had an AC installed in his two-bedroom flat at Malleswaram three years ago. Until March, under the old tariff, the family’s electricity bill was ₹3,000. The bill for April is ₹4,000.
In the house of Lakshmi K. in Rajajinagar, the electricity bill for April shot up to ₹4,000 — an increase of at least ₹1,000 — following the installation of an air-conditioner. “We are trying to cut down on usage of the AC now,” Ms. Lakshmi said.
The electricity bill for S. Bhagyalakshmi’s three-storey house until March was ₹2,000 per month. Though the family of four does not have an AC, they have a high-capacity power back-up system. Their April bill is ₹2,900.
Improving efficiency
“The peak load in the State crossed 10,000 MW in April; the average peak load was between 9,100 MW and 9,400 MW. Following the rains, it went down to 8,800 MW on Thursday. Once monsoon sets in, this is expected to come down further, as irrigation pump sets contribute to the peak load apart from ACs,” explained R.C. Chetan, Director (Finance), Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom).
For the first time this year, Bescom introduced additional slabs to make domestic consumers who use more electricity pay more than those who don’t.
“The aim is to encourage people to use electricity judiciously and shift towards more energy-efficient appliances,” Dr. Chetan explained.
