The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission on Thursday announced a steep hike in tariff across all sections of consumers.
The average effective hike will be 30 per cent across the board and the revised rates are applicable from July 1 with retrospective effect. The new rates will be in effect till March, 2013, according to a commission statement.
The per unit charge for agriculture purpose has been hiked by 130 per cent and for public lighting system the increase is even more at over 200 per cent. Apart from the unit charges, fixed charges have also been increased.
There will be additional surcharge for both single phase and three phase household consumers. This will be Rs 20 for single phase and Rs 60 for three phase connections. The tariff for house connections has been increased after a decade.
Charges for street lights in the state are paid by local bodies like the municipal corporations. The fixed monthly rate for each light will now go up to Rs 30 from Rs 12 and the unit charge will be Rs 2.95 from the existing Rs 90 paise. The unit charge increase comes around 227 per cent. For cinema theatres, circus etc, the new rate is Rs 5 per unit (up to 1,000 units) and Rs 6.50 for above 1,000 units.
For agriculture, the rate has been hiked to Rs 1.50/unit from the current 65 paise/unit. High tension and extra high tension users will have to pay Rs 4.10 /unit. The existing tariff is Rs 3 a unit. Their monthly demand charge has been increased from Rs 270 to Rs 300. HT commercial users like hotels, private hospitals and airports have to pay Rs 5.50 for one unit instead of the existing Rs 3.70 and their monthly fixed charge has been raised to Rs 400 from Rs 350. For consumers using above 30,000 units, the rate will be Rs 6.50/unit.
Fixed charges for state and central departments, universities and government hospitals have also been increased. Accordingly, the new rate is Rs 350 as against the current Rs 300. Unit charge for these institutions has been increased to Rs 4.10 from Rs 3.
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The rates for organisers of festivals, commercial, trade exhibitions etc have been increased to Rs 13.50 a unit (Rs 12). For industrial users, it's now Rs 4.25/unit from Rs 3.25 earlier and fixed charge is at Rs 60 from Rs 45.
For old age homes, orphanages, palliative care centres and hostels for mentally challenged, the per unit charge has been hiked to Rs 1.50 from 85 paise.