Hyderabad: Despite the state government’s announcement that there would be no hike in power tariff this year, TS power discom is trying increase the revenue by redefining the consumers categories. While TS power distribution companies (Discoms) have kept their tariff proposals for retail supply business, and cross subsidy surcharges secret, the TS Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) has made them public. Officials of TS Transco said that they have clarified to the ERC, which category each of the existing consumers fall under. This, they claim, would increase their revenue by Rs 200 crore a year.
Discoms, in their proposals for the LT II category, have suggested a few changes to the definition of the consumer categories to bring about greater clarity. According to the proposals, consumers who avail of energy supply for lighting, fans, heating, air-conditioning and power appliances in commercial or non-domestic premises like shops, business houses, offices, hospitals, hostels, hotels, restaurants, theatres, bus stations, railway stations, photo studios, printing presses, service and repair centres, dry cleaning units, gas and oil storage and transfer stations, godowns (except cold storages, which have been placed in the LT III category of industries), educational institutions run by individuals, non-government organisations or private trusts, all fall under commercial category and are charged more per unit.
IT units availing of industrial power tariffs need to provide a separate meter for each utilisation point other than those required for IT purposes as certified by the IT department; this includes cafeteria, restaurants, ATMs, banks, and auditoriums. These meters will be sealed by the discom. If separate meters are not provided at each individual utilisation point, the entire power consumption of the company is liable to be billed under the commercial category.
