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Electricity consumers, administered a tariff shock a few months ago, will be in for another shock if the proposal for a hike in existing fees for new service connection and introduction of levies for a dozen services including replacement of damaged/burnt meters, all clubbed under miscellaneous charges, were to be approved.

The proposal, mooted by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), envisages the manifold increase in the existing fees on different counts. The Corporation’s petition (M.P No. 16 of 2012) is available on the website of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) (Welcome to TNERC Website). The miscellaneous charges are levied under two dozen heads.

For example, in the case of new service connections, the proposed connection charges for domestic consumers having three phase supply with connected load up to 18.6 kilo watt (KW), are Rs. 1,600. If the connected load (CL) falls between 18.6 KW and 50 KW, the new charges will be Rs. 3,000 and for over 50 KW and 112 KW, Rs. 10,000. As of now, irrespective of connected load, the service connection charges are Rs. 500. In respect of a single phase connection, the proposed rate is Rs. 900 against the existing rate of Rs. 250.

To cite another example, for changing a meter on the consumer’s request without any dispute over the functioning of the instrument, the existing charges for all types of low tension consumers (single phase or three phase) are Rs. 50. This will go up to Rs. 250 in the event of approval of the TANGEDCO’s proposal. For a three-phase domestic consumer, the proposed rates will be Rs. 500 (for CL up to 18.6 KW) and Rs. 1,600 (for CL between 18.6 KW and 50 KW).

What will be of more relevance to the power consumers is the introduction of levies for those services, for which there are no charges now.

At present, for replacement of meters damaged or burnt by acts of consumers, no service charges are levied. Hereafter, Rs. 250 will be levied for a single phase domestic consumer; Rs. 500 for a three phase consumer below 18.6 KW connected load and Rs. 1,600 if the load is in the range from 18.6 KW to 50 KW. Besides, the actual cost of meters will be recovered.

Likewise, for a host of functions such as meter reading and preparation of power bills, a rate of Rs. 10 per month will be charged on a domestic consumer; Rs. 100 per month for a service falling under LT current transformer (LTCT) category and Rs. 250 for high tension services such as an industrial establishment.

Source: The Hindu