After projecting ‘losses’, Discoms pitch for increase in electricity bills
16 April 2014 5:45 AM IST
Despite an ongoing audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, power discoms in the city have begun pitching for an increase in electricity bills, by projecting massive losses in the current financial year. Accordingly, these power distribution companies have demanded recovery of previous losses in their public notice and invited feedback from consumers till 15 May, 2014.
In their public notice that invited responses on their petition before Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), discoms have directly avoided articulating their demand for a hike in power tariff and articulated alternate routes to resolve the situation.
‘They have suggested modification in power purchase price adjustment mechanism, which means they want more money in the name of high purchase costs, especially in seasons when the demand is high. They have also demanded an increase in surcharge to liquidate regulatory assets in a proper time bound manner,’ said a senior officer from DERC. He further added that both these measures will finally result in an increase in electricity bills.
Anil Ambani-owned Reliance group companies, BSES Yamuna and BSES Rajdhani, have projected a collective loss of Rs 3,233 crore for the 2014-15 financial year. In addition to those figures, these discoms have released collective loss figures of Rs 2,117 crore for 2013-14 and Rs 2908 crore for 2012-13.
‘DERC had recognised a revenue loss of Rs 5,205.52 crores up to 2011-12 in its tariff order of July, 2013. We demand a time bound plan for recovery of loss accumulated regulatory assets,’ claimed BSES Rajdhani. Similarly, BSES Yamuna has claimed an accumulated loss of Rs 2,855 crore till 2011-12.
Meanwhile, BSES Rajdhani has claimed distribution losses amounting to 14.34 per cent and transmission loss (A& T) at 15.62 per cent. However BSES Yamuna has projected figures of 17.35 per cent and 18.59 per cent loss respectively. The Tata group-owned company is likely to issue its notice on Wednesday.
Reacting to this development, Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan said that discoms should not be allowed to push for any method, which would finally increase the burden on power consumers. ‘These all are repercussions of mismanagement and connivance of AAP-led government and earlier Congress governments to favour industrialist at the cost of the common man,’ said Harsh Vardhan. AAP however blamed BJP and Congress for the mess.
‘How can companies demand an increase in power tariff without completing an audit? They should be pressurised into cooperating with CAG so that the audit is completed at the earliest. This is a huge scam among various government agencies being cooked up by the Congress and BJP together,’ said Ashish Khetan, a senior AAP leader.
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