In a major shock to consumers of crisis-hit MSEDCL, the state electricity utility has proposed a 5-6 per cent increase in tariffs for the current fiscal year to recover the revenue gap of over Rs 30,000 crore.
On the contrary, other power utilities supplying electricity in the megapolis including the BrihanMumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), Tata Power and Reliance Energy have proposed a reduction in tariff for the period.
All the four companies have recently submitted their revised multi-year tariff (MYT) plans to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for approval.
As per the MYT plan, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) has proposed an overall increase of 15 per cent in tariffs to recover revenue deficit of Rs 30,842 crore.
For the consumers in the below poverty line category, MSEDCL has proposed one per cent increase in tariff from Rs 1.06 to Rs 1.07, while for those consuming power up to 300 units, the hike is six per cent.
The state utility has proposed a five per cent increase for those consuming more than 301 units.
"MSEDCL has proposed a revision in fixed and energy charges for various categories in order to bridge the revenue gap. Such tariff revision is minimum requirement for it to meet the inflation as well as the additional costs that have arisen due to increase in various costs," the state utility said in its petition.
It further said the tariff revision was necessary for its survival and it is purely to meet the revenue gap emerged due to increase in cost on account of inflation as well as additional costs which are beyond the control of MSEDCL.
The BEST has proposed an increase to Rs 1.22 per unit from the existing Rs 1 for its BPL consumers, while for those consuming up to 100 units, it has proposed to reduce the tariffs to Rs 1.67 from Rs 1.80.
For those consuming up to 300 units, the tariff has been proposed to reduce to Rs 3.92 from Rs 4; for up to 500 units, to Rs 6.72, from Rs 6.80; and for above 500 units, to Rs 8.72 per unit, from Rs 8.80.
Reliance has proposed a 30 per cent reduction in tariff for BPL consumers to Rs 0.70 from Rs 1 and a three per cent decline for those consuming up to 100 units to Rs 2.30 from Rs 2.38. It has, however, not changed the tariffs for other category of residential consumers.
RInfra has, however, increased fixed charges by almost 30 per cent across its residential consumer categories.
In its MYT plan, Tata Power has proposed a steep 46.67 per cent reduction in tariff to Rs 0.32 from Rs 0.60 for BPL customers. For customers consuming up to 100 units of electricity, the tariff has been proposed to be reduced to Rs 1.49, for up to 300 units to Rs 3.75, for up to 500 units to Rs 5.9 and for over 500 units to Rs 6.43.
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