Power tariff spiralling up: Assocham surveyBS Reporter / New Delhi October 25, 2007While the demand supply gap for power is widening in the country with a peak demand of almost 14% recorded last year, the average tariff of power per unit sold to state electricity boards (SEBs) is also spiralling up.In 2002-03, the cost of per unit electricity sold off to the SEBs on an average was around Rs 2.63, it went up by 4.5% to Rs 2.75 in 2003-04 and 2004-05.The cost was Rs 2.84 in 2005-2006 and is estimated at about Rs 3 in the year 2006-07. These are the results of a survey conducted by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) of central power utilities.Giving an optimistic picture, the Assocham survey also says that the energy availability is also set to improve when mega power plants, merchant power plants and captive power plant would be commissioned."This will not only add capacities in the existing power plant but also add to availability factor and to some extent help India get over its power crisis, says N Venugopal Dhoot, president, Assocham.According to Assocham, the Accelerated Power Development Reform Programme (APDRP) is gradually picking up and revenues from sale of electricity for central power utilities have gone up by 43% from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and are likely to go even beyond 53% in the current fiscal.In an analysis on performance of state utilities vis
