Chhattisgarh slashes industrial tariffs

Refusing to buckle under the state power board's proposal for a hike, the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) today slashed power tariff by 12-18 paise for industrial consumers.

In the wake of the ongoing industrialisation in the state, it was necessary to keep power tariffs for industrial consumers at a level not more than in the neigbouring states, said CSERC Chairman SK Misra.

"The tariff has been rationalised and the commission has tried to keep it low," said Misra.

While the CSEB (Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board) had proposed an increase, the commission has cut down the tariff for industrial consumers "" both high-tension and low-tension units "" by 12-18 paise.

For low-voltage industrial consumers, the commission has revised the tariff from Rs 3.90 per unit to Rs 3.72 per unit, a decrease of 4.62 per cent.

For railway traction, which comes in the extra high voltage (EHV) industrial consumer category, the new tariff will be Rs 3.85 per unit as against the existing Rs 4.02 per unit.

The commission has slashed tariff for heavy industries from Rs 3.83 per unit to Rs 3.60 per unit while the steel industries in the state that come under the EHV category will pay Rs 2.86 per unit instead of the Rs 2.91 per unit at present.

The tariff for steel plants under the heavy voltage category has been revised from Rs 3.16 per unit to Rs 3.06. The tariff for coal and cement industries has been reduced to Rs 4.74 per unit from Rs 4.75.

The new tariff would come into effect from November 1, Misra said, adding that it would remain effective till March 31, 2008, or the issuance of the next order.

The commission has asked the board to bring down transmission and distribution losses from 35.54 per cent to 3 per cent in 2007-08.