No power tariff hike in Odisha for 2020-2021 fiscal: OERC

The Odisha Electricity

Regulatory Commission (OERC) Wednesday decided not to hike the power tariff for 2020-21 fiscal, official sources said.

The retail supply tariff for the FY 2019-20 remains unchanged for 2020-21, an official release issued by the OERC said.

The average cost of supply for FY 2020-21 will be 503.38 paise per unit (499.71 paise per unit in FY 2019-20) and the average tariff will be 482.26 paise per unit in FY 2020-21 (477.21 paise per unit in FY 2019-20), it said.

The Commission has allowed a positive gap in the Annual Rate of Return (ARR) of DISCOMs to the tune of Rs.78.54 crore considering COVID-19 situation, it said.

 

It will be Rs 15.24 crore for CESU, Rs.20.69 crore NESCO, Rs.35.70 crore for WESCO. and Rs.6.91 crore for SOUTHCO, the four distribution companies in the state.

The transmission tariff of OPTCL (Odisha power transmission corporation limited) for FY 2019-20 shall remain unchanged for FY 2020-21 at 25 paise per unit.

OHPC (Odisha hydro power corporation) tariff which was 86.10 paise per unit in 2019-20 is revised to 90.11 paise per unit for FY 2020-21, it said, adding that OPGC (Odisha Power Generation Corporation) tariff for Station I and II is revised to Rs.248.97 Crores as fixed charge and 153.91 paise per unit as energy charge against Rs.240.96 crores and 150.68 paise per unit respectively for 2019-20.

It said the GRIDCO, the bulk power supplier, will purchase 29018.76 MU power during FY 2020-21 and sell 28090 MU to DISCOMs and 60 MU to CGPs.

The average power purchase cost will be 278.57 paise per unit for FY 2020-21 as against 259.88 in FY 2019-20. The gap allowed in GRIDCOs ARR is Rs.660.15 crores as against Rs 172.94 crores in 2019-20.

The Commission has not allowed fixed cost to the extent of Rs.348.37 crores towards Central sector fixed cost.

The GRIDCO may take up this surplus power matter with the State Government, it said, adding that the average BSP is revised to 271.09 paise per unit for FY 2020-21 as against 270.47 paise per unit in FY 2019-20.

However, for individual DISCOMs there will be no change in BSP (Billing and Settlement Plan) rate.

There will be no change in cross subsidy surcharge for EHT open access consumers. However, there is a minimal change in case of HT consumers. Twenty per cent Transmission & Wheeling charge will be payable by the consumer drawing power from Renewable Energy sources excluding Co-generation & Bio mass power plants, it said.

A Reliability surcharge @ 10 paise per unit will continue only for HT consumers availing power irrespective of nature of feeder. This surcharge @ 10 paise per unit shall be charged if reliability index is more than 99 per cent and above and voltage profile at consumer end remains within the stipulated limit.

All the industrial consumers having CD of 1 MW and above and drawing power in 33 KV shall be allowed a rebate of 10 paise per unit for the units consumed in excess of 70 per cent of load factor and up to 80 per cent of load factor and 20 paise per unit for the units consumed in excess of 80 per cent of the load factor per month.

This shall be in addition to all other rebates the consumer is otherwise eligible for.

All the industrial consumers drawing power in EHT shall be eligible for a rebate of 10 paise per unit for all the units consumed in excess of 80 per cent of load factor.

Two per cent rebate over and above normal rebate shall be allowed on the bill to the LT domestic and single phase general purpose category of consumers only over and above all the rebates who pay through digital means.

This rebate shall be applicable on the current month bill if paid in full. 2 per cent rebate shall be allowed to all pre-paid consumers on pre-paid amount. Charging of electric vehicles shall be treated as General Purpose (GP) category.

There has been no hike in the RST (Retail Sales Tax ) and BSP (Billing and Settlement Plan ) in view of the COVID-10 situation, the OERC order said, adding that if the situation improves during the course of the year, the revision of the RST and BSO may be considered at athe ppropriate time.