Escoms seek hike in power tariff

KARNATAKA - BENGALURU - 30/03/2016 : Power line and Transformer, in Bengaluru on March 30, 2016. Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) today announces a nine per cent increase in tariff across all escoms, comming as a shocker even as the state is reeling under power shortage, the electricity tariff has been increased by the KERC. Photo K Murali Kumar.

Despite 2018 being an election year, it’s unlikely that people in Karnataka will get any monetary relief as far as their electricity bill is concerned.

The five electricity supply companies (Escoms), in their tariff petitions to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), have sought hikes ranging from 82 paise to ₹ 1.62 per unit for the financial year 2018-19.

Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) has sought the least hike (82 paise) per unit, while Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (GESCOM) has asked for the highest (₹1.62).

GESCOM officials said that the gap in expenditure and income was higher for the ongoing financial year, which is why the hike sought was high, even more than the increase sought last year.