SME body happy with power tariff

For the first time, the average electricity tariff has been brought down from Rs 3.62 to Rs 3.52 a unit by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), making it a historic power tariff revision, the Hebbal Industrialists' Association (HIA) has said.

This has been possible with the KERC taking into consideration the point made out by the industrialists during its hearing on power tariff revision in Mysore that hydel power generation had improved substantially with all the reservoirs reaching maximum levels on account of copious rains in the state.

Following this, the KERC obtained the revised power purchase rate from the Escoms and it clearly indicated that the deficit had fallen from Rs 836 crore to Rs 100 crore.

The KERC had also cut the power transmission and distribution loss by two per cent over the last year, thus making it possible to reduce the average tariff, said HIA president P Vishwanath and general secretary Suresh Kumar Jain.

The new tariff brought about no change in tariff for LT-5 and HT-2A industry consumers. While a Rs 10 hike had taken place for consumers with 67 HP and above in Bangalore, consumers with 40 HP connections had secured a relief of Rs 5 in all other places, they said describing the KERC's latest power tariff as 'pro-industry and pro-farmer.'