In its new order for tariff revision for the ongoing financial year, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has increased the first slab for domestic tariffs from 30 units to 50 units.
This, the commission has said, is aimed at encouraging consumption by “lower and middle-class domestic consumers”.
- Rebate for use of LED bulbs in public lighting of 105 paise per unit
- Tariff for LT and HT water supply installations up by 10 paise per unit.
- Special Incentive Scheme for HT consumers continued
- No increase in tariff to BMRCL. Concessional tariff to railway traction increased by 10 paise per unit round the clock without ToD tariff and special incentive scheme
- Concessional tariff for battery charging stations continued
- For educational institutions and hospitals: 10 paise per unit increase
For domestic consumers, installations of government or charitable educational institutions and hospitals in BBMP and other municipal corporation areas, the increase in energy charges across the State is 10 paise per unit. This means that the energy charges for monthly consumption of 0 – 50 units (earlier 0 – 30 units) will go up from ₹4 per unit to ₹4.10 per unit, and for consumption between 51 and 100 units (earlier 31 to 100 units), the tariff is increased from ₹5.45 per unit to ₹5.55 per unit.
The tariff for monthly consumption of 101–200 units will go up from ₹7 to ₹7.10 per unit, and for above 200 units from ₹8.05 to ₹8.15 per unit.
The increase in tariff for LT and HT industrial consumers across the State is 10 paise per unit. Similarly, commercial LT and HT consumers will also be paying 10 paise more per unit.
The commission has also announced the removal of morning and evening peak under ToD (time of day) tariff to encourage consumption in HT installations.
The penalty of ₹1 per unit for usage of energy during morning peak hours — between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. — and evening peak hours — 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. — has been withdrawn, continuing the policy of the 2020 tariff order.
This, the KERC has said, is with a view of making use of the available surplus power as projected by the Escoms and the SLDC during the monsoon period, i.e., from July to November.
“The evening peak ToD for the other months in the financial year will be continued for the energy consumed during the evening peak hours and a penalty of ₹1 will be levied in the monthly bills issued from December to June as per the existing mechanism. Similarly, the rebate of ₹1 offered on the energy consumed during off-peak period i.e., 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. from July to November is withdrawn,” the commission has said.
New scheme
A new ‘Discounted Energy Rate Scheme’ has also been announced to encourage energy consumption over and above the base or normal consumption by HT installations (industries, commercial, hospitals, educational institutions), especially during the power surplus/monsoon/off-season period of July to December. Surplus power will be sold at ₹6 per unit to them over and above their base/normal consumption.
