Electricity consumers who go in for a new service connection will pay 55 % higher cost now for a new three phase connection.
Sharing details of the increase in various costs, K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause and State advisory committee member of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission(TNERC), says the increase is exorbitant. “The Tangedco had proposed a steep hike, but the TNERC did not agree to such an increase and finalised on the current rates. Even this is quite high.”
A consumer who wants to go in for a new single phase connection used to pay ₹1,600 towards development charges, meter caution deposit, service connection charge, etc. The total charges to be paid now is ₹ 2,800. In the case of a three phase connection, the consumer used to pay ₹ 7,450. It is revised to ₹ 11,550. The charges were last revised in 2004. The main revision is in development charges.
Though existing consumers will not be affected by this, those who are going in for higher load and a new connection will be paying higher charges. If the consumer wants to go in for underground cable to connect his residence to the nearest electricity pole, the rates are far higher. For a three phase connection, the consumer will pay ₹19, 050 (the Tangedco had proposed ₹50, 060) and if it is single phase connection, it will be ₹6,400. The consumer is going to pay for the underground cable. The charges should not discriminate between overhead and underground cable, he says.
. The Tangedco is a loss-making organisation and it should not make consumers pay for its increase in expenses. Even now, to get a new connection, the consumer pays for almost the entire infrastructure needs, he says.