The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has accepted the debt-ridden Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB’s) proposal to revise tariff for both domestic and commercial purpose.
Accordingly, for high tension units, the increase would be 25 per cent and for domestic users this would be up to 40 per cent.
The proposal would be updated on the website of TNERC and published in newspapers to get public's view after which a final call would be taken.
According to the proposed tariff, domestic consumers who have been paying for 51-100 units bi-monthly will have to pay 150 paise per unit as compared with 75 paise per unit. These consumers would come under the up to 100 units bi monthly slab.
Consumer who come above 100 units bi-monthly slab would have to pay Rs 2 per unit as compared with 75 paise to Rs 1.50 now. If the consumption goes beyond 601 units, the new tariff would be Rs 5.75 (Rs 4.05).
For huts, free power would continue.
The board also increased tariff for industries to Rs 5.50 from Rs 4 (0-1,500 units bi monthly) and Rs 5 (for 1,501 units and above bimonthly).
For private education institutions, it is Rs 5.50 (Rs 4.50 a unit), while for government and aided-educational institution, this would be Rs 4.50 (Rs 4).
Cinema Theatre and studios will have to pay almost 34 per cent more. Currently, they are paying Rs 4.50 per unit, which would be increased to Rs 6.80.
Other commercial places will have to pay Rs 6.80 per unit (Rs 5.80) and places of public worship Rs 4.50 per unit (Rs 2.80).
The move would stem the losses of TNEB by Rs 4,000-5,000 crore. TNEB losses as on March 31, 2011, stood at Rs 40,651 crore. Its debt burden of TNEB currently stands at Rs 42,175 crore.
Chief minister J Jayalalithaa said “if some immediate step is not taken, this debt burden will increase to Rs 53,000 crore by the end of the current fiscal.”
