Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) Chairman C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy said that due to the decisions taken in the financial year 2019-20, the State government has saved ₹200 crore on power purchase.
He was delivering the inaugural address for the three-day public hearing on Aggregate Revenue Requirement and tariff filing for Financial Year 2021-22 at the APEPDCL office here on Monday.
Due to the the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the hearing was held online for all the three Discoms APEPDCL, APCPDCL and APSPDCL.
He said that the APERC will take a balanced decision keeping in view the financial position of the Discoms and interests of consumers.
Justice Nagarjuna Reddy also pointed out that due to COVID -19, the last date for payment of power consumption charges for the months of March and April 2020, was extended up to June, 2020. Thus consumers have got exemption on ‘Delayed Payment Surcharge (DPS)’ on charges.
He said that in Power Purchase Plan for the financial year 2020-21, power plants, without PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements) were excluded.
He said that power tariffs for financial years 2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 submitted by the Discoms were approved ensuring that there was less burden on consumers than the actual power purchase expenditure.
APERC Member Thakur Ram Singh received views, objections and suggestions about Discoms from people through video conference.
Chairman and Managing Directors three Discoms — Nagalakshmi Selvarajan (APEPDCL), H. Haranatha Rao (APSPDCL) and J. Padma Janardhan Reddy (APCPDCL) — read out their tariff proposals.
A total of 53 persons had registered to express their objections, suggestions and views.
APERC Secretary C. Ramakrishna, Deputy Secretary Energy B.A.V.P. Kumar Reddy, Discom Directors participated.
